


Fathers and Sons

by robinasnyder



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: A lot happens in about 6 days, Alternate Universe - Children, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brendol Hux Sr's A+ Parenting, Charleston (Location), Established Relationship, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hux's Son is 8, Kid Fic, M/M, North Carolina, characters from books and clone wars, happy endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 08:10:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7040302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinasnyder/pseuds/robinasnyder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At 30, Hux lives a mostly uneventful life. He’s an accountant who generally doesn’t have to bail street artist boyfriend, Kylo, out of prison. Outside of busy season, their life isn’t particularly hectic. Their particular type of peace is broken when Hux receives a phone call in the middle of the night informing him that not only has his father died, but that the son he hasn’t seen in seven years is being returned to his custody. The only person more shocked to hear this news than Hux is Kylo, who until that moment had no idea that Hux had a child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my wonderful Beta: [assbuttsthatfondue](http://assbuttsthatfondue.tumblr.com) Thank you for helping me out and making me feel better about writing a kid. 
> 
> Thanks to my truly amazing artist [cornflakesdoesart](http://cornflakesdoesart.tumblr.com). The art is beautiful and perfect and I love it! It's so great!
> 
> I want to add that this fic was inspired by [Lineage](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/kylux2016febexchange/works/5960371) by Kat2107. I loved this story and the concept, but I also wanted to write it where Kylo and Hux ended up with the kid, but couldn't imagine that being feasible in "canon-verse". Hence this.
> 
> Thank you all!

It was the perfect way to end a long day and even longer few months. Alone in their bedroom, the A/C still blowing full to keep the uncomfortable warmth of a Charleston Autumn out of their apartment. They were completely wrapped in each other. There were no more deadlines. The blinds and the curtains were drawn. Their clothes were strewn on the floor, but Hux couldn’t find it in him to actually care about that part. The mess could wait for a few hours.

Hux happily pressed his face into Kylo’s thigh. “Fuck tax season,” he said.

“Agreed,” Kylo said with a little laugh.

They were both naked. Hux was still feeling very sated, but Kylo was sitting up, propped up against the multitude of pillows that he always seemed to buy as an apology for whenever he couldn’t make his part of the rent. For all the money Kylo spent on pillows, they could probably have a year’s worth of rent. But Hux didn’t care. Because as long was Kylo was living with him, he could have nights like these.

After good sex fueled by sexual frustration of Hux being very unavailable during tax season, Hux was happy to wrap his arms around one of Kylo’s thighs and listen to Kylo sketch like a maniac, like Kylo always seemed to do. Hux felt boneless, warm and happy.

“So, I take it that you’re going to be spending all of your rent money this month having to pay court fines?” Hux asked, his lips brushing against the skin of Ren’s outer thigh.

“Don’t make me paint your hair pink again,” Kylo threatened.

“It never sticks,” Hux said, not particularly perturbed. This was what he got for dating a man who painted on walls for fun and (rarely) for profit.

“Eh, whatever,” Kylo said.

“Mmm, so eloquent,” Hux said, starting to smile. For his sass, he got jabbed in the head with a pencil eraser. Which really wasn’t that much of a deterrent, but he wasn’t saying that out loud or Ren might actually try to draw on his face.

They settled into silence. Hux was okay with that. The scratching of the pencil against the sketch pad was soothing to Hux. It had been for a while now, since he and Ren first started sleeping together, before they were truly dating. It, like the feel of Ren’s body in his arms, was a reminder of who exactly his lover was. He didn’t need to pick up strangers in bars. He didn’t have to wake up wondering who was in his bed anymore.

He mused that this what being grown up must feel like. He could support his lover. He paid all his bills, had a steady job, had his degree, his accounting certification, and a boyfriend who he’d had for two years. His credit card debt was low, his school loans were manageable. He’d known he was an adult for a while, but it settled on his shoulders easily in that moment.

That perfect moment of peace and clarity was broken by the shrill screech of Hux’s phone.

“It’s midnight! Who the fuck is calling you at midnight?” Kylo groaned

“No fucking clue,” Hux growled, grabbing his phone off the charger. “What?” he demanded.

“Mr. Hux,” the voice on the other line said. It was like arctic water had swept right through Hux’s veins. He sat bolt upright.

“Judge Tarkin,” Hux said, trying not to stutter. It had been seven years since he’d heard that voice, but he remembered it perfectly. He could feel Kylo shift beside him. Kylo was always interested in the men connected to his grandfather, like the old Moff Tarkin who’d allowed the great Darth Vader out of his court with a small fine when the man had deserved a lot worse.

Ren always loved hearing about those people, or even the relatives or friends of the people from his grandfather’s stories. Hux knew Ren would have loved to hear that Hux knew Judge Moff Tarkin’s son. But this was one connection Hux never spoke about.

“Your father had a heart attack,” Judge Tarkin said gravely.

“Oh,” Hux said. He wondered what that had to do with him.

“He died at 11:15 this evening,” Tarkin continued.

“I see,” Hux said. He felt a burst of overwhelming joy, followed by a cold flood of heavy sadness. “I thank you for informing me. I’m certain I won’t be invited to the funeral.”

“Funeral?” Kylo asked. Hux ignored him.

“I was not calling to inform you of your father’s death,” Tarkin said. His voice was normally as serious as cement, but this evening is an especially dark quality.

“Then what?” Hux asked. He felt Kylo trying to wrap his arms around him, so Hux moved away. He didn’t need to be distracted now.

“Elan has been returned to your custody,” Tarkin said. “He is currently in my care until you can come get him, which I hope would be soon.”

“No, you said I was unfit. You said that I couldn’t. So why now?” Hux asked. He felt his blood pressure spike up as his stomach dropped.

“You were much younger, without your degree, living in a school dorm with no prospect of a job,” Tarkin said. “You have been gainfully employed for quite some time. In terms of fitness to care for a child you have been more fit than your father for some time.”

Hux shut his eyes and breathed through his nose. The guilt and shame of it all threatened to swamp him. He took a second before he could speak again. “Did you already contact Adana?”

“She made it very clear that she has no interest in the boy,” Tarkin said. Hux was pretty certain there were forms that had to be filled out in that case, but the flatness in the man’s voice assured Hux that he wouldn’t be dragged into a custody battle.

“Do you want me to come tonight? I don’t… have a bed ready for him or anything yet,” Hux said.

Oddly enough, Tarkin’s next words sounded amused. “I didn’t expect you to. I am with him currently, and I will bring him to you. Tomorrow I will get you keys to the Commander’s house so that you can gather the boy’s things. But for now he has lost the only family he has ever known. You are his father. In my experience, it’s better for children to be placed with their closest kin as soon as possible.”

“But he doesn’t know me,” Hux said, not able to keep the anguish out of his voice.

“He will,” Tarkin said like it was that simple.

Hux close his eyes. He thought of the one picture he had of himself holding the tiny bundle of boy. He was certain that if he passed the boy in a crowd that Hux would never even know it was him. And the boy would never know who he was. They could meet eyes on the street and not have any idea who the other was.

“Bring him,” Hux said. “Considering how much you seem to know about me, I’m guessing you know where I live.”

“I do,” Tarkin said. “I’ll see you within the hour.”

He hung up. For a moment Hux kept the phone pressed to his ear. Slowly he lowered the phone and set it aside.

“Hux?” Kylo asked. “Who was that?”

“My father’s dead,” Hux said.

“Hux,” Kylo said. He sounded sympathetic. Hux had heard about Kylo’s father’s heart attack, and Kylo’s belief that his father’s shame in his son had done him in. But Kylo also knew from the few things Hux said about his father that Hux had more hatred than love for his father.

“I have a son,” Hux said, uttering words he had barely dared to dream for the past seven years. “He’s eight now. His birthday is August 7th, and he has my red hair. But I haven’t seen him since he’d just turned one. Before that I did most of the raising, trying to go to classes, maintain my GPA and my other activities and somehow raise a child.”

Hux had rushed his words, afraid that Kylo would interrupt him. But when he stopped to take a breath he realized that Kylo was dead silent. Hux let the words lie there, wondering when Kylo would speak. Hux stared down at his knees. Kylo was a free spirit. He wouldn’t want to be tied down by a child, but for the second time in Hux’s life this same boy was going to be dropped into his arms and abandoned by all else.

This time he wouldn’t let him go, that he promised himself.

“What happened to him?” Kylo asked.

“My father,” Hux said. He shrugged. Kylo was still behind him. Hux couldn’t see him. It was better this way. He couldn’t see Kylo’s rejection. “He caught wind of my attempts to juggle school and a baby. At first I thought he’d come to help and I was grateful.”

“Since when has your father helped anything?” Kylo asked derisively.

“Never,” Hux said. “He just wanted an excuse to see what advantage he could take… He needed an heir. I was a failure.”

“How?” Kylo demanded.

Hux turned and looked at Kylo. Kylo looked angry, yes, but also mystified. “You were at the top of your class then, and you became an accountant. You make good money, enough to support us both and this apartment and have money to put away. How are you a failure?”

“I’m gay,” Hux reminded him.

“Oh,” Kylo said, completely deflating. “So… then what?”

“I was barely 21. I was keeping Elan in my school apartment with me. My roommate practically lived with his girlfriend so he wouldn’t have to be around us. Elan wasn’t supposed to be there. They were places for single students. And I was single, but no other single parents would have been allowed. My father used this and the fact that I wasn’t eating trying to afford formula, and that I’d switched to cloth diapers because it was easier to raid the stupid antique things from father’s attic than buy diapers I couldn’t afford. He took me to court, said I wasn’t a fit parent. Judge Tarkin sided with my father.”

Hux stopped and licked his lips. It was a painful memory. “They took Elan from my arms. At the time I was the only parent he knew, aside from the baby sitters. He screamed so loud… but now… I haven’t seen him since that day. I wasn’t allowed in my father’s home. He said that Elan needed a clean break.”

“Bastard,” Kylo hissed.

“Yeah,” Hux said. “But now my father’s dead, and Judge Tarkin is bringing me my 8 year old son who I know shit all about.”

Kylo let out a heavy sigh. “Okay, one thing at a time. First we’re going to wash the sex off of us and change the sheets, and we’re going to put clean sheets on the bed in my old room, and we’re going to clean up so he can have my room.”

“Okay,” Hux said.

He stood up. His legs felt shaky, but he still made his way to the bathroom. Their apartment was a two bedroom, one bathroom place with a living room, kitchen and laundry room. They’d never needed more than that. Kylo kept his paints and shit in the other bedroom and Hux kept the rest of the apartment very neat and looking very much like the Potter Barn showroom where he’d ordered his furniture.

But now they were about to have a little boy who could get into all kinds of trouble running around the house. Did you have to childproof a place for an 8 year old? Hux was going to need to find some parenting books and fast.

Kylo tugged him to the shower. Hux didn’t have to think about any of it. Kylo washed them both as quick and efficient as they normally weren’t when they showered together. But Kylo had them out and wrapped in towels in no time. Hux brushed out his hair and left Kylo to try and tame his curls so he could pull on clothes.

Hux did wear jeans when he wasn’t at work. Like the rest of his clothes he normally picked nice things. But the first pair he grabbed were the messy pair he wore when he went painting with Kylo. He grabbed a white tee shirt that didn’t look as bad, but was really an undershirt for his suits. He quickly stripped the sheets off of their bed, and left them on a pile on the floor for Kylo to change. He grabbed a clean set and went to change the sheets in Kylo’s room.

Kylo’s bed wasn’t actually dirty. He knew well enough to toss the dust cover over the bed and the floors when he was working. The bed was just so unused that it was probably dusty, and probably smelled like paints. Plus, Hux put the Egyptian cotton sheets on Kylo’s bed. He was settling the blankets on the bed when Kylo padded in.

Kylo was in his favorite pair of black skinny jeans and a grey tank top. His hair was pulled back in a bun. He started carrying his paintings out, while Hux started to get the trash off the floor.

Between the two of them they were able to clean the room of Kylo’s stuff and any art trash, and Hux was able to run a quick vacuum in about a half hour. Hux was surprised how little Kylo actually kept in the room.

“You think the Publix is probably still open?” Kylo asked. “Would you like me to run to the store and get anything?”

“Harris Teeter should be… and maybe,” Hux said. “Can you wait until they get here, though?”

“Not a problem,” Kylo said.

Kylo wrapped his strong arms around Hux. Hux normally wasn’t one for the sappiness of hugs, but he let himself melt into it. Kylo’s powerful arms carried around cans of paint and other supplies. They dragged him over walls and held onto ledges. His legs carried him away from police, down narrow paths and over hedges. Hux had always been surprised that someone so tall and solid could find such hard to reach places to paint. And he was always surprised that this beautiful man wanted to wrap himself around Hux.

The soft ding dong of the bell sounded. Hux sighed heavily and walked over to the buzzer. He hit the enter button without actually checking to see who it was. It couldn’t be anyone but the judge and his son.

“Are you going to be okay?” Kylo asked.

“No clue,” Hux said. “I guess we’ll just have to see what time will do.” It hadn’t really healed any of his other emotional wounds, but he’d learned to work around them.

The expected knock at the door came. Hux opened it quickly.

Judge Moff Tarkin II was the spitting image of his father. Hux had seen the pictures himself. He was certain Kylo would have been geeking out if the circumstances were any different. The man’s gaunt face and grey hair reminded Hux of a skeleton. He was older than Hux remembered. The wrinkles more set in, his hair beginning to turn from grey to white.

Hux would have glared at him. His memories of the man were from the most painful day of his life. But the man had his hand on his son. Hux’s first thought when he saw the boy was to calm down. He was small for his age, barely coming to Hux’s belly button. Hux had to remind himself that he’d been small for his age, and he’d never not been fed. No matter what his father did to him, Hux always had three meals a day. There was no reason to suspect neglect. His father’s problem had always been paying far too much attention.

The boy’s hair was more of a blonde red than Hux’s true red, and he had his mother’s brown eyes. His lips were set in a frown and his eyes were red from crying. He clutched onto the straps of his book bag. He was wearing khakis and a little button up. Hux couldn’t help but be reminded of himself at that age.

“Hello, Elan,” Hux said.

“Hello, sir,” Elan said quietly.

Hux didn’t bother frowning. At that age Hux had called his father and every other male “sir” as a learned sign of respect.

“Did you tell him yet?” he asked Tarkin.

“I informed him that he would be taken to his father,” Tarkin said.

Hux could imagine all the questions he would have had were he under these particular set of circumstances. Mainly ‘Why did he leave me?’ and ‘Why didn’t he visit if he was so close?’, even if Hux never would have dared to ask them out loud.

“What else did you tell him?” Hux asked.

“That your father won custody, but that it was a very bitter fight,” the Judge said. Well, none of that was a lie, anyway.

“Okay, you two can talk business in a minute,” Kylo said, moving around Hux. He knelt down in front of Elan. “Hello Elan, my name is Kylo. I’m your daddy’s boyfriend. Are you hungry?”

Elan’s eyes got large when Kylo made such an honest statement about their relationship. But he didn’t make a comment about it, yet anyway. Instead he nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Just Kylo,” Kylo said with a fond voice. Hux resisted the urge to run his hand through Ren’s curls, to just offer his affection. Tarkin was glaring at Kylo, and his lips were pulled in a sour expression. Hux didn’t want to give the old man any reason to take Elan away.

“Yes, Kylo,” Elan said quietly.

“Okay, then let me get you a snack and let the grumpy adults have their conversation, okay?” Kylo asked.

Elan giggled for a moment, but quickly he froze in the middle of the sound. He looked up at Hux with wide, nervous eyes.

“It’s okay,” Hux said.

“Yeah, Bren knows he’s a grump,” Kylo said. He stood up and offered Elan his hand, which Elan accepted. He guided the boy back to the kitchen, leaving Hux alone with Tarkin.

“Thank you for bringing him here,” Hux said.

“It was appropriate. He’s seen me a few times. He remembered me. It was better than a stranger delivering him to other strangers,” Tarkin said.

Hux felt his stomach drop out. His anger rushed right up to his head and he found himself showing his teeth. “I wouldn’t be a stranger if you hadn’t taken him from me,” he hissed.

“You were not a fit guardian at the time,” Tarkin said. “Your father is the one who requested you stay away. You could have tried to get him back after you got a job and apartment.”

“Like you would have given him back,” Hux snapped. “He would never have been returned to me if my father hadn’t died. I’m gay and that’s why no one wanted me to have him”

The look Tarkin gave him was terribly unimpressed. “I am fair, and I always have been. I told you that as you didn’t have a steady home or job, that I was ruling for your father. I am not a fan of your particular proclivities, but you have been better off than your father for at least five years now. The only reason why he wasn’t with you before now is that you didn’t ask.”

Hux felt his stomach drop again. He turned to look at the kitchen. He could see Kylo moving around. He could hear him talking about something, but he couldn’t make out what. He didn’t even care what Kylo was saying because he was saying it to Elan.

Could Elan really have been back in his custody years ago? He remembered the trial, and his father’s sneering assertions about parties that Hux didn’t go to, and things that Hux would never do around his son. He remembered being made to feel like being gay made him unfit to raise a child, forget that he had done it for months, for about a year, and that he’d maintained his GPA and had only lost sleep and occasionally his patience, because there had been someone he’d had to work twice as hard to be certain he could take care of.

“You’ll come back tomorrow with a house key?” Hux said. “I assume I’m still written out of the will?”

“I assume as much,” Tarkin said, “but the boy will be allowed to get his things.”

“That’s fine,” Hux said. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Yes,” the Judge said. He turned and left without so much as a goodbye to Elan. Hux would have been angry about it if he hadn’t wanted the man gone so much.

He locked the door and turned away from it and Tarkin. He headed to the kitchen.

“-So your dad just gave me this disgusted look and paid my fine anyway.” Hux heard the end of Kylo’s story as he rounded the corner in the kitchen.

There was a little table in there where Kylo kept his iPod speakers for when he wanted to attempt cooking and dancing. The kitchen was so small that there was only one chair, which Elan was occupying with about five Oreos on a plate and a tall glass of milk.

“Broke into the Oreos, I see,” Hux said.

Elan had almost been smiling, but the second Hux spoke his son stiffed up completely. He hung his head a bit, like he expected Hux to tell him off. Hux expected that was exactly what Elan expected.

“I’m an Oreo addict. Otherwise we had your nasty Fig Newtons,” Kylo said.

“They aren’t nasty,” Hux said, finding himself frowning.

“You keep telling yourself that, big boy,” Kylo said. He offered Hux his hand. Hux accepted and allowed Kylo to tug him into a soft kiss. Hux hadn’t realized how much he’d needed it until Kylo’s lips were on his. At which point he was sighing into Kylo’s mouth.

“Thanks, Kylo,” Hux murmured when he pulled away. Kylo’s arm kept him close. Hux was a tall man, but he was willowy, and sometimes he felt down right dainty when he was pressed into Ren’s arms.

He turned a bit to look at Elan again. If his eyes had been wide before, when Kylo had mentioned that they were dating, they were absolutely huge now. He started to fiddle nervously with his cookies, looking away when he saw Hux was staring at him.

“What?” Kylo asked. “Lemme guess, grandpa said gays were evil and that we do bad things to kids, am I right?”

Elan blushed a bit, and then he nodded. He was carefully looking down at his knees.

Kylo snorted, tightening his grip on Hux. “Yeah, well, it’s not true. The only thing different about us is that we like men. Otherwise people are people.”

“That’s not what grandpa said,” Elan mumbled.

“Well, your grandpa was a jerk,” Kylo said.

“Kylo,” Hux chastised.

“Well, he was,” Kylo whined.

“But it’s not a nice thing to say,” Hux protested.

“And calling us evil was super duper nice?” Kylo asked.

Hux opened his mouth and then shut it. “Point one to you.”

“Good,” Kylo said. He snaked his arms around Hux’s hips and pulled him into a kiss. Hux didn’t even have room to protest.

They separated when they heard a little giggle come from behind them. Both Hux and Kylo turned to look at Elan, who was grinning. The boy quickly shoved cookies into his mouth to muffle it. Hux couldn’t help but be relieved.

“Has Kylo told you where you’re going to stay?” Hux asked. He turned around, letting himself lean against Kylo’s chest, and letting Kylo wrap his arms around his shoulders.

Elan was still trying to chew around two cookies and simply shook his head no.

“We cleaned out my art room,” Kylo said. “There’s a bed just for you. We’ll decorate it later. For now it’s a place to stay.”

“Okay,” Elan said after he swallowed his cookies. He looked between Hux and Kylo, looking uncertain. He picked up his glass of milk and took a big gulp. Hux recognized these actions as things he himself knew how to do, ways to drag out not having to say whatever made him nervous. Elan just hadn’t learned yet how to be smooth about it.

“Do you have a question?” Hux found himself asking.

“Am I really going to live here?” Elan asked.

“Yes,” Hux said quickly.

“Is grandfather dead?” Elan asked. His eyes started to get moist.

Kylo let go of Hux so fast. He went and knelt next to Elan and rubbed his back. “Hey,” he said in a gentle voice. “Yeah, your grandfather’s dead. But you’re going to be okay. I’ll tell you a secret: your daddy is awesome and he’s been wanting you for all of your life and just unable to geet you. But now you’re here and he’s not going to leave. And you’ll have me too. Okay?”

Elan sniffled and nodded. Kylo wrapped his arms around Elan and held him close. Hux found that although he wanted desperately to be the one to hold Elan, that he couldn’t make himself move forward. He leaned against the counter and watched Elan press his face into Kylo’s shoulder while Kylo slowly rubbed circles against Elan’s back.

After a while Kylo stood, taking Elan with him. He cradled the boy against his chest. Elan wrapped his arms around Kylo’s neck and kept his face buried in Kylo’s shoulder. Hux didn’t know if Elan was crying or not, and he wasn’t certain he wanted to.

“Okay big boy, I think it’s time for bed. I’m going to run to the store after you go to sleep. Is there anything you want for breakfast?” Kylo asked.

“Can I have Reese’s Puffs?” Elan mumbled into Kylo’s shirt. But he’d clearly had Brendol Hux Sr’s lessons on projecting, because Hux could hear everything his son said.

“We can do that,” Hux said. He was relieved that he could speak at all.

Elan picked his face up out of Kylo’s shirt. His eyes were puffy and red and still a little wet. He just looked at Hux for a moment before he buried his head again. Hux felt like judgement had been passed on him and he had been found wanting.

“Come on, kid,” Kylo murmured. He walked out of the kitchen.

Hux listened to his footsteps for a moment. He slowly lowered himself into the chair Elan had been sitting in. He remembered when Elan was a baby, carrying him around and comforting him. He remembered feeding him and burping him. He remembered being woken up by Elan’s crying and staying up to study and staying close to Elan while he slept.

And then Elan had started crying in Hux’s kitchen and he’d completely froze like everything he’d done before hadn’t even mattered.

He didn’t know how long he sat there, staring down at his hands, trying to fight back against the voice that sounded remarkably like Tarkin telling him that he wasn’t good enough to be a father, that he’d known that and that was why he hadn’t tried to get Elan back.

“Hey.” Kylo’s gentle, quiet word cut through the swirling words of failure coursing through Hux’s brain. He snapped his head up and looked at Kylo.

“Hey,” Hux responded.

Kylo stepped in. He took the cookie plate and half-finished glass of milk off the table. He put the leftover cookies back in their bag and started to clean the dishes. Hux watched him do it, staying silent.

“The kid was damn tired. He fell asleep pretty fast. I barely got him changed before he passed out,” Kylo said conversationally.

“It’s late and it’s been a hard day,” Hux said. His words sounded hollow to his own ears.

“Yeah. He asked if he had to go to school tomorrow,” Kylo said.

“No,” Hux said. “Day after tax day is a day off.”

“And we don’t know where he goes to school anyway,” Kylo pointed out.

“That too,” Hux murmured. His words carried no matter how softly he spoke, just like Elan’s did. Hux shivered a bit. He didn’t even remember when his father taught him what. It all blurred together over the years. How was he supposed to know what exactly Elan had been forced to endure?

“He looks a lot like you,” Kylo said, still in that quiet, conversational tone.

“Yeah,” Hux murmured. “Kylo, how did you know what to do?”

“Oh, well, I used to help my family take care of the kids. I mean, my sister is ten years and some change younger than me. She was eight when I was a senior in high school. I remember having to comfort her when mom and dad were too busy. And she always had her friends over. I got money by babysitting her and that Windu kid… I don’t know. I guess the body just remembers.”

“I used to take care of him when he was a baby. But I couldn’t do anything,” Hux admitted, much to his own shame.

“Yeah, well, it’s not that bad,” Kylo said. “You’re still in shock about all of it.”

Hux snorted. “Like you aren’t?”

“I can have a break down later,” Kylo said. “Away from the kid, probably against a wall.” Kylo’s temper was massive, but at least he knew how to direct it toward inanimate objects.

“Try not to come home with bloody hands this time. It’ll upset the baby,” Hux whispered. His lips quirked in a little smile. He had his baby back.

“Yeah,” Kylo said. He turned around and looked at Hux. “You are going to tell me later why you never thought it was important to tell me you were a father.”

Hux felt his face heat up. He opened his mouth to explain, but Kylo shook his head and Hux shut his mouth. Hux just felt so tired. Everything was so wrong and so right and so too many things at once. He didn’t know what to do.

“Tomorrow. Tell me tomorrow,” Kylo said. He turned back to the sink, but only to turn off the water. “Now, I think, we should go to sleep.”

“I could sleep for a million years,” Hux said. “But you promised Elan cereal.”

“Yeah,” Kylo groaned.

“You can take my car… or I can go,” Hux said.

“Nah, I said I would go. If Elan wakes up, it’ll be better if you’re here.”

Hux’s heart dropped a bit. He thought about the way Elan had clung onto Kylo. He shook his head twice. “I think he’d rather have you.”

“He needs to know that his father is going to be here,” Kylo said, verbally putting his foot down.

Hux ducked his head a bit. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt like he’d been so bad at anything. “You’re right.”

“Damn, you never admit that I’m right,” Kylo said. He took Hux’s hand and helped him up. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

“To sofa. I’m not going to sleep until I know you’re home safe and sound,” Hux said.

Kylo temporarily looked flummoxed. Then he gave Hux a sad smile and kissed his brow. “Love you too, Bren.”

“Thanks, Kylo,” Hux murmured. He allowed Kylo to help him to the sofa and to turn on the TV low to some infomercial.

Kylo got Hux’s keys and his own coat and shoes and left after giving Hux a kiss goodbye. Hux stayed on the sofa and watched a commercial for knives, waiting until Ren came back forty minutes later. The both of them put groceries away and then took each other to bed. It had been the longest evening of Hux’s life.


	2. Chapter 2

Hux’s morning started in the afternoon. Everyone, including Elan, was too tired to wake up before eleven. When Hux woke at noon he heard the sounds of cartoons coming from the living room. Kylo was wrapped around his pillows and snoring. The room was filled with both light and a lot of clutter. Kylo’s paintings were propped up against basically every surface in the room, much to Hux’s frustration. He wanted his clutter free room back. One of Ren’s paintings had pushed the blinds up enough to let in the kind of light Hux tried to avoid in the morning.

Hux carefully disentangled himself from Kylo’s gangly limbs. He was in his boxers and a tee shirt, something he and Kylo had both agreed to sleep in, just in case Elan came in needing something. Hux dug in Kylo’s drawer, finding a pair of sweatpants. Hux had to tie them tight to keep them up on his narrow hips, but they stayed up. 

He slipped out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. He heard a quiet giggle from the living room. Hux walked out, following the noise. 

Elan was sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, his knees pulled up against his chest. He had turned the tv on very low, so low that Hux could actually barely hear it even once he entered the living room. He didn’t find the sound legible. But then it was a Tom & Jerry cartoon. How much sound did you need to understand the plot? 

Elan giggled again when Tom ran into something. His laughter was louder than the TV. 

Hux walked around the sofa and lowered himself slowly onto the floor next to Elan. Elan gasped. He looked at Hux with large, worried eyes. 

“What are you watching?” Hux whispered to Elan. 

“T-Tom and Jerry,” Elan whispered back. “I’m sorry.” 

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Hux whispered back. “Will you tell me what’s going on?” 

Elan looked surprised, but he started to explain the episode, and really the premise itself. Hux nodded along, letting Elan tell him about a show he’d been watching all of his life. Elan got a little louder, but not too above a whisper. 

“Jeez, you two are having all the fun without me?” Kylo pouted as he came into the room. “And, Hux, you’re wearing my sweats.” 

“Well, I don’t have any of my own,” Hux said, plucking at his pants. He glanced up and saw that Kylo had pulled on jeans. Apparently his other sweats had to be in the laundry. 

“And whose fault is that?” Kylo whined. He came around the sofa and sat down on the other side of Elan. He grabbed the remote and turned up the sound some so maybe someone could hear something. “What are you two doing anyway?” 

“Elan was explaining Tom and Jerry to me,” Hux said seriously. 

“Have you seen it before?” Elan asked with a smile, clearly proud of being able to be helpful. 

“It was my baby sister’s favorite show as a kid,” Kylo said. “I preferred the Road Runner cartoons, personally.” 

“Oh, those are good too,” Elan said. 

“Of course,” Kylo said, sniffing a bit snootily. Hux grinned. He reached over and lightly shoved Kylo’s arm. Kylo shoved him back, harder so that Hux tipped over a little. 

Elan started to giggle. Hux just felt relieved. 

“I bet your daddy would like a hug,” Kylo said. Both Hux and Elan looked at Kylo with twin looks of wide eyed shock. Kylo grinned broadly. “What, Bren, you don’t want one?” 

“Y-yes,” Hux said. He looked down at Elan. “If Elan wants to,” he said uncertainly. 

“You don’t mind?” Elan asked quietly. 

“I know your grandpa wasn’t big on hugs, but I like them,” Hux said. 

“Oh,” Elan said. He frowned thoughtfully for a moment before he leaned over and hugged Hux. It was short and didn’t last very long, but it still took Hux’s breath away. 

“Okay, Elan, how about breakfast?” Kylo asked. “I went and got your cereal, like you wanted.” 

“Really?” Elan asked, looking surprised. 

“Really,” Hux said. “I saw him bring it in myself.” 

“Thank you,” Elan said politely. 

“Okay kid, come on, food,” Kylo said. He stood and offered Elan a hand up, which Elan didn’t even notice because he was scrambling to get up on his own. 

“Elan,” Hux asked, before the boy could get too far away. “Where do you go to school?” 

Elan looked both proud and shy. “Waddo,” he said. 

Kylo let out a whistle. “Well, aren’t you smart?” 

“Yes,” Elan said. He was blushing, but also smiling. 

“Okay kid, food and then we’ll deal with the rest of the day. Hux, you eating, babe?” Kylo asked. 

“Yeah, in a bit,” Hux said. He stood up and stretched. “Going to get a bit of work done first.” 

“Okay, but I’ll be after you if you go an hour without eating,” Kylo threatened. 

“I know you will,” Hux said. He slipped off back to his room. 

He went and got his laptop and his cellphone. It was easy enough to get the phone number off the website. Hux was honestly surprised that his son had been accepted to Waddo, which was one of Charlotte, South Carolina’s premier magnet schools. It had hard to get in, students names went into a lottery before Kindergarten just to be accepted. Students who attended would be part of a language immersion program. 

He remembered talking about it with his father when Elan was just a baby. He couldn’t believe that his father had managed to get Elan in. 

Hux dialed the office number and hit the call button. He had a lot to do that day, but first he needed to tell the school, if they hadn’t been informed already. 

“Waddo Language Academy,” a woman said. 

“Hello,” Hux said. “My name is Brendol Hux Jr, I’m calling on behalf of my son… Um, his Grandfather died last night and-”

“Oh, Mr. Hux,” the woman said. “Judge Tarkin emailed us last night and his office called us this morning. I’m going to hand you over to the Principal, alright?” 

Hux let out a shaky breath. Good, he wouldn’t have to explain all of that. “Thank you.” 

“Give me a moment,” she said. 

Hux found himself on hold. He started looking around the school’s website, wondering about all the things he’d need to do to make certain that Elan could keep going to school, and if a change of address would keep him from going to school there. 

“Mr. Hux,” a woman said. “I’m Dhara Leonis, Waddo’s principal.” 

“Good afternoon Ms. Leonis,” Hux said. “I was told that Judge Tarkin called you?” 

“Yes, he called. He informed us of your father’s passing. I am sorry,” she said. 

Hux sighed. “I’m not. He wasn’t a kind or loving man.” 

“Yes,” she said with just a touch of distaste in her voice. “My brother used to be one of his students.” 

Hux nearly laughed. His father used to be the Commander of a military school. “Oh, then you know.” 

“Yes, but I am still sorry for your loss, and for Elan’s,” Ms. Leonis said. 

“Yes,” Hux said, sobering up. “About that. I assume there are… things I’ll have to do.” 

“Normally the guardian on record has to approve anyone else who wants to visit, but in this case it’s more complicated.” 

“Judge Tarkin assured me that guardianship transferred to me without me needing to fill out paperwork,” Hux said, starting to feel a little panicked. He did his best to keep his voice steady. 

“It may well have, but we don’t know why you were originally removed from custody,” Ms. Leonis started. 

“I was gay and in college and broke. My father made a convincing case that I was an unfit parent on that basis alone and the judge agreed with him,” Hux said bitterly. 

“Oh,” Ms. Leonis said. “I’m sorry, then.” 

“Yes, me too,” Hux said. He pressed the heel of his palm into one of his eyes. Elan was back with him. That was what mattered now. 

“We shouldn’t have a problem then, but we will need you to come fill out forms. Do you have time on Monday?” She asked. 

“I’ll make time. I’ll be able to pick him up, no problem, right?” he asked anxiously. 

“Of course Mr. Hux,” she said. 

“What about my… partner?” he asked. 

“We’ll need him to fill out paperwork as well so we’ll know that he can pick up Elan as well,” she said. “Do you mind if I ask how long you’ve been dating?” 

“Three years,” Hux said. “But we were living together for two before that. It’s very committed.” 

“I’m not questioning your commitment, I was just curious,” she assured him. “Have you had any contact with Elan in these past few years?” 

“No, my father saw to that,” Hux said. The bitterness came back full force. 

“I understand,” she said. “I’m assuming you’ll need a change of address form as well?” 

“Yes. I assure you that I am not in the will, if there is even such a document.” And he wouldn’t want to live in his father’s house even if he could. 

“Alright,” she said. “You may want to consider being involved in the PTSA, and in our volunteer program.” 

“What would that involve?” Hux asked. He pulled out a document on his computer and began to type notes.” 

“Putting your name on a list and agree to a background check. Your partner can volunteer as well.” 

“Oh… um, what would disqualify someone from being a volunteer?” 

“I have a feeling you have something specific in mind.” 

Hux winced. “My boyfriend is a street artist. He has a few arrests on record, and he’s been convicted, but only ever received probation or community service,” Hux explained. “And he has a juvenile record. He used to have a temper before he found an outlet.” 

“Does he have any adult charges for violent crimes?” she asked. 

“No,” Hux said. “He’s been very controlled as long as I’ve known him. The only problem we’ve had is occasionally I’ve had to pay bail and he bitches about his artwork getting covered up.” 

“There are three types of volunteers, one of which is supervised. All we care about is that the children will be safe,” she explained. “A street artist you say?” 

“Yes… will this keep Kylo from being able to pick up Elan from school?” Hux asked. 

“No,” she said. “And it won’t hurt his being allowed to come for lunch or play time. But parental visitors are generally kept away from other students, except in the case of written parental permission from the parents of the other children involved.” 

“I understand,” Hux said. “He’s great with Elan, better than I am.” He still felt sad about that, but he shook off that thought. 

“Mr. Hux?” Ms. Leonis asked. 

“I’m still here, sorry. It may be a few days before Elan is really ready to come back. And I want to talk with all of his teachers, alright?” 

“Yes, of course. I’ll get you the list. I would also encourage you to consider having Elan go to counseling services,” she said. 

Hux paused for a moment. “If I call them, will they have recommendations for childhood therapists?” 

“Yes,” she said. “Not every parent is willing to simply request that.” She sounded both impressed and suspicious. 

“I’ve spent a significant amount of my adult life seeing a therapist. My father wasn’t a very good parent,” Hux said. “I’m afraid I won’t know how to help Elan with all of this as it is. But with my father’s death and me suddenly showing up… I don’t think I’d take it very well if I was him.” He couldn’t help the sadness that just seeped into his bones. 

“Children tend to be resilient,” the Principal said. “But it’s good to get him help, and yourself as well. This isn’t anything anyone can work through completely alone.” 

“I am very aware,” Hux said. “Is there anything else I need to do before Monday?” 

“Please send me an email when you hang up,” the Principal said. “I’ll speak to Elan’s teachers and have them email you the times they can be available for conferences.” 

“Thank you,” Hux said. “I don’t plan on bringing Elan to school on Monday. I want to give him time,” he added quickly. 

“I already said it will be okay,” Ms. Leonis said. “Given what’s happened, I won’t be surprised if he misses a few days. It will be excused.” 

“Can you get some of his work together? I don’t want him to be behind,” Hux asked. He didn’t want Elan to struggle. 

“I’ll talk to his teachers about it, see if they can put something together for you to take with you Monday.” 

“I appreciate it Ms. Leonis,” Hux said. He hung up after that. 

He called Tarkin after that. It was tense and took five minutes. He went out to the kitchen after that. He could smell bacon, which was good because Hux was in a mood where he wanted to tear something with his teeth. 

“How did it go?” Kylo asked when Hux entered the kitchen. Hux made a bee-line for the bacon and started to tear into a piece. “That bad?” 

“We can go by Tarkin’s office and get the keys,” Hux said. “You think your uncle will let us borrow you dad’s truck?” 

“He would, except Rey has it,” Kylo said. 

“Oh, right,” Hux said. He did know that, but he felt so out of it. 

“I’ll call Rey. I think she can get the boys together. It’ll be faster with help,” Kylo said. 

“Yeah… thank you,” Hux said. He knew Kylo hated talking to his family. Whatever closeness he may have had with them before had been broken when his father died. He sent Christmas cards and read the family newsletter that Rey’s boyfriend put together, but that was about it. 

Kylo gave him a weak smile and went back to making bacon. Hux sighed and looked at Elan who was making himself very busy with his cereal. 

“Is it good?” Hux asked. 

Elan turned and looked at him. He nodded slowly. He swallowed his bite quickly. He looked at Hux with big, wide eyes. “Am I going to live here now?” he asked. 

“Yes,” Hux said. “We’re going to get your things from your Grandfather’s house.” 

“Will I change schools?” he asked. He really was an intelligent boy. 

“No. I already spoke with your Principal. I have to go fill out forms on Monday so they know where you live now, but you won’t change schools.” 

“Will you eat lunch with me on Monday?” Elan asked. He sounded so shy that Hux found himself smiling a little. 

“Yes. You’re not going to school on Monday, Elan, and maybe not Wednesday either, because of Grandfather’s funeral,” Hux explained. 

“Oh,” Elan said. He didn’t sound completely comfortable with that. 

“I know. But I will come and eat lunch with you another day during the week, alright?” Hux offered. 

“Will you?” Elan asked like he didn’t quite believe it. 

“I promise,” Hux said. “And Kylo can come too.” 

“I can?” Kylo asked, looking up from the stove. 

“Yes, I have to add you to the roster of people who can pick up Elan from school, but Ms. Leonis said it would be fine.” They would have a lot to discuss later, like if Ren even wanted to stay around through all of this. Ms. Leonis made Hux wonder if Kylo even wanted to stick around. 

Hux already knew what he’d do. If Kylo wanted to go, he could, but this time Hux wasn’t letting Elan go no matter what. He couldn’t lose his son again. 

“Are you sad?” Elan asked. His little voice cut through Hux’s thoughts. 

“Yes,” Hux said. 

“Why?” Elan asked. 

Hux shrugged. “I just always have been, I suppose.” 

Elan’s expression dropped. “That’s sad.” 

“It can be,” Hux said. But he smiled a little. “But I’m happier now that you’re back.” 

“Back?” Elan asked. He blinked in confusion. 

Hux nodded. “I took care of you all by myself when you were a baby.” 

Elan’s eyes got huge. “Woah, really?” 

“Yes, really,” Hux said. “I have a picture somewhere.” 

“Really?” Kylo asked. “Can I see it?” 

“I wanna see it too,” Elan said. 

“Yeah, give me a minute to go find it,” Hux said. He popped the rest of the bacon into his mouth and washed his hands before going back out to his bedroom. 

Of course he knew exactly where it was. He kept those photos buried down in his tax returns from 2007, the year Elan was born. He knew that none of his relationships would ever go digging through all of that. It was easy enough to locate. When he pulled it out he felt the same jolt of familiarity that he always did. It had been taken a few weeks before the trial. He’d taken plenty of pictures of Elan on his phone and carefully hidden them away on his computer and phone storage. But this was the only physical picture he had. His old roommate’s girlfriend had taken it as an art project, and he’d gotten a copy. 

It showed him sitting on his dorm couch, cradling baby Elan in his arms and smiling down at the little boy who was smiling back at him. 

“He’s back,” Hux reminded himself in a whisper. 

He set the picture aside and carefully replaced his tax returns before he returned to the kitchen. Both Kylo and Elan were waiting by the door, looking curious and anxious. Hux shook his head. Apparently Kylo was already rubbing off on Elan. 

“I found it,” Hux said. He knelt down to Elan’s height and offered him the picture. Elan took it with tentative hands. 

“Woah, is that me?” Elan whispered, looking at the baby in the picture. 

“Yep, that’s you,” Hux said, looking at their matching mops of red hair in the photo. 

“Can I see?” Kylo said. He’d bent over but not kneeled down. 

Elan passed the photo up to him. Kylo accept it silently. He examined it closely, beginning to frown the longer he looked at it. Hux watched his face, feeling his chest seize. What if Kylo really didn’t want to stay? Hux needed him.

No. Hux straightened his shoulders. He had Elan. He could deal with the rest. Hell, not having Kylo as a financial drain might make things easier. Still, he couldn’t shake the pain that thought caused him. He didn’t care about the money. Kylo had been living on Hux’s salary almost from the beginning and Hux hadn’t cared much. It had just been nice to have someone to come home to. 

“I’m looking at it, and I still can’t picture you holding a baby,” Kylo said, finally handing the photo back to Elan. 

“I happen to have been very good at it,” Hux said, feeling annoyed by Kylo’s flippant disregard. 

“Can I keep it?” Elan asked. 

“Um, sure,” Hux said quickly. Elan sounded so uncertain. He even look scared to ask. Hux didn’t want to part with it, but he had no idea what else to do. 

“Hey, Kiddo, who don’t we put it on the fridge, then everyone can see it when they go to get food?” Kylo suggested. Hux did his best to school his expression so he wouldn’t look too grateful. 

“Yeah, I like that idea,” Elan said. He offered it back to Kylo who took the photo and Elan’s hand. 

Kylo had Elan stand in front of the fridge. He measured off a place above Elan’s eyes level that would still be easy enough for him to see, and where Hux and Kylo wouldn’t have to bend in half to be able to see it. Elan stood in front of the fridge and grinned. 

“I’m going to go call Rey,” Kylo said when he finished. “You eat something,” he ordered, pointing an accusatory finger at Hux. 

“Yes, sir,” Hux said. He went and sat at the table and munched on more bacon, watching Elan grin at the fridge. 

“I’ve never seen me as a baby before,” Elan said when Hux was about half way through his bacon. 

“I have a lot of pictures,” Hux said. “I even have one from the trial… I mean the last day I saw you.” 

Elan turned and looked at him, looking sad. “Did you want me?” He asked. 

Hux’s heart clenched. “Very much so,” he said. “I’m going to tell you something important. Your grandfather didn’t always tell the truth.” 

“But he always said lying was wrong,” Elan protested. 

“It is,” Hux agreed. “But that doesn’t mean that he always told the truth. If it got him something, he would lie.” 

“But why?” Elan asked. 

“Because that’s who he was,” Hux said. He remembered being a little boy, waiting for his father to come pick him up from something and being hours late. It was one time in a series of times when that happened, or he swore to be at a recital and didn’t show up, or he told Hux to do something and then punished him for doing it. All those little instances had added up to help give Hux a myriad of problems, including trust issues that he still hadn’t overcome. 

“But why?” Elan asked. 

“Because,” Hux said with a shrug. “I still don’t know why. But this is what I want you to remember. Your Grandfather didn’t always tell the truth, but he also didn’t always lie. He taught me good things as a kid, I know that he did, but I also know he taught me bad things too. And I know he did the same thing for you.” 

“What’s a good thing?” Elan asked quietly, near a whisper, but his voice still carried. 

“Well,” Hux began, thinking of what he could tell Elan that maybe Elan would have heard as well. “He taught me that working hard was better than being smart.” 

“He told me that too,” Elan said. He sounded relieved, which told Hux that Elan was already beginning to build his life on that principle, just like Hux had. 

Hux smiled a little and nodded. “Yeah, and that’s always been important to me,” he explained. 

“So what’s a bad thing?” Elan asked. 

“Whatever he told you about me,” Hux said. “I fought to keep you. I absolutely did. And I missed you every day.” 

“Then why didn’t you come before?” Elan asked, sounding somewhat accusatory. 

“Because dad kept me away every time I tried… in the beginning… and then I just accepted that I would never see you again, that no one would let me have you. And I stopped fighting,” Hux admitted. 

“Grandfather always said you had to keep fighting,” Elan said. 

Hux smiled wryly. “He did… but I guess that was a good thing I didn’t listen to, and I should have.” 

Elan looked thoughtful and then nodded. Then he looked back at the picture. Hux went back to eating. It only took a minute. When he finished he washed his hands. “Alright, get dressed, we have a busy day.” 

“Yes, Sir,” Elan said and sped off before Hux could correct him. 

Hux sighed and walked back to his room where Kylo was sitting on the bed. He had pulled on a jacket and boots over the clothes he had on already. He was staring off at the wall. Hux carefully closed the door behind him. 

“Kylo?” 

“You were literally never going to tell me, were you?” Kylo asked. “We were going to spend our whole lives together and you were never going to tell me that you had a kid, were you?” 

Hux swallowed. “No, I wasn’t going to.” 

“Why?” Kylo asked. 

“Why?” Hux repeated. 

“Yeah, why? Did you think you couldn’t trust me?” Kylo asked. He was still staring off into space, barely emoting at all. That was such a bad sign, but Hux realized why Kylo was acting as he was now. 

Hux lowered himself down next to Kylo. He rested his cheek on Kylo’s shoulder. “Because out of everything my dad ever did to me, out of everything that’s ever happened in my life, losing Elan hurt the worst. I didn’t want to think of it. It hurt me so much. It still hurts. I’m still not ready to talk about it.” 

Kylo snorted. “It’s a little late to not talk about it. I know he exists now.” 

“No, I mean…. Explaining everything that happened… He’s eight years old. I thought it was bad when I missed his first three months. But this is so-” He cut himself off with a gasp. The emotional pain felt like a physical knife in his chest, and that knife was hard to breathe around. “So much worse. He’s eight and he doesn’t know me or trust me and I don’t know what to do. I feel so bad that I just don’t know how I’m not screaming. If he wasn’t here I’d have already broken in two… and I know I’m gonna break later and I don’t know what to do.” 

He felt Kylo rest his cheek against the top of Hux’s head. Hux relaxed. He knew Kylo enough to know that he wasn’t just going to walk out. “You don’t have to figure it out alone.” 

“Are you okay with staying?” Hux asked. “I know that this has been kind of dropped on you.” 

“No less than it’s been dropped on you. I mean, I’m so pissed that you didn’t tell me. But… I don’t know. I like kids a lot. And he’s a little you. You know I can’t just walk away from you. Never have been able to.” That last bit was mumbled into Hux’s hair, but he heard it anyway. 

“Thank you,” Hux said. “We’ll talk more later, okay? But we have to get dressed and go.” 

Kylo pulled away. He was smirking. “You mean you gotta get dressed. I’m already dressed.” 

“Then take your already dressed shit eating grin out to the living room and wait for Elan,” Hux said. He shook his head and got up. He went to his closet and found a tee shirt, sweater and jeans. It was Kylo’s sweater, all black and a little too big, but it was comforting to wear. And Kylo needed to see that Hux wanted him. And yes, it was messier than normal for Hux. But they were just moving. 

And maybe Hux needed the comfort as well. 

“I called Rey,” Kylo said when Hux walked out of his bedroom. “She said she’d meet us there with the boys.” 

“Thank you,” Hux said. “Keys.” He held out his hand until Kylo sighed, reached into his pocket and fished out the keys to Hux’s car.

“You’re not fun,”Kylo whined

“Of course,” Hux said. 

Hux led the charge out of the apartment and down toward the parking deck. It was only after they got down to the car itself that Hux wondered if maybe Elan required a car seat. There wasn’t much to be done about it that day, but it was just another thing to add to the ever growing list of things that needed to get done. 

“Okay, everybody in,” Kylo said, opening the back door so Elan could get in. Elan crawled right in and buckled himself in without having to be told. 

Hux still waited until everyone was buckled in before he even started the car. Kylo had driven last. Normally that meant one of his burnt CDs with not-yet-popular pop music, or some really loud heavy metal. Instead it was a classic rock station. Hux looked at Kylo. 

Ren made a complicated face and flipped over to NPR, Hux’s general preference. Hux didn’t comment, but he knew what classic rock meant: Kylo was missing his father. 

Hux couldn’t help but sigh a little bit. “Everyone ready?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Kylo said. 

“Yes, Sir,” Elan said. 

Hux winced as Kylo looked at him. Hux pulled out of the parking lot and tried to figure out how to begin to address this. 

“You don’t have to call me ‘Sir’,” Hux said. 

“Why not?” Elan asked. 

“Because… this is one of those things that grandfather wasn’t right about, not completely,” Hux said. 

“But I’m supposed to be polite to adults,” Elan said. 

“Yes, you are,” Hux said. He glanced at Kylo who pointed at himself subtly where Elan wouldn’t be able to see. Hux got the message. “Well, what do you call Kylo?” 

“Kylo,” Elan said. 

“Why?” Hux asked. 

“Because Kylo asked me to,” Elan said. 

“So you can call adults Sir or Ms. until they tell you call them something else,” Hux said. 

“Okay, Sir,” Elan said. 

Kylo snorted. Hux shot him a sour look. 

“You didn’t tell him what else to call you,” Kylo pointed out. 

“Oh… call me ‘dad’,” Hux said. 

“Oh,” Elan said. Hux glanced at him in the rearview mirror. Elan looked hopeful and nervous. “Okay… Dad.” 

Hux let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Good,” he said. He pulled out onto the main road. “Glad we got that cleared up.” 

When he glanced back at Elan again he saw that Elan was smiling. Hux felt like his heart was actually melting. After that he had a hard time keeping his eyes on the road and not glancing back at his son. He did look back whenever he came to a stop sign or a red light. It didn’t quite seem like enough, but it held him over for the drive.


	3. Chapter 3

For as long as Hux had been dating Kylo, he’d never met Kylo’s family. He’d never met them before they were dating either. Hux only knew them because he was friends with them on Facebook, and he’d see their pictures and the things they did. That was how he found out about Kylo’s father’s death, and that Kylo had gone to the funeral and hadn’t even told Hux. Hux didn’t cherish that memory at all. They’d had a huge blow out, and Hux had spent a week living in a hotel because he thought that when Kylo walked out that he wasn’t coming back. At the end of the week he’d returned to find Kylo a shell of a man, having lost his father and believing he’d lost his boyfriend as well. 

Hux had apologized and they’d slowly talked it out. That had been nearly and year and a half in the past, but Hux still hurt when he thought about it. 

Needless to say, Hux had hoped that when he got to meet Kylo’s family, whenever Kylo was finally able to put aside his combination of shame at the life he lived and the anger toward his own family, that it would mean Kylo finally wanted Hux to be part of his family. 

Until the day before, Hux hadn’t even had family to include Kylo in. 

They pulled up into the driveway of the home Hux had grown up in. It had been his grandparents’ house, and then his father’s. It was built back in the fifties and looked like it. It was one story, with a car park, not a garage. It was brick, not terribly big, but the family owned it. In the back there were tall pine trees and in the front the grass was newly trimmed. Hux imagined that his father had cut it while Elan was in school or something. 

Just thinking that made Hux’s throat feel tight. 

He pulled up and into the carpark, behind his father’s old Ford. Kylo’s sister had already parked her truck somewhat out of the way, leaving room for Hux to park. Hux turned off the car and got out. He was instantly enveloped in strong arms. 

“You must be Hux! I’m so excited to finally meet you!” Rey said. 

“It’s good to meet you as well,” Hux said, carefully stepping back from her. She was in cargo pants and a tee shirt that said “sun’s out, guns out”. Her hair was pulled back in three knots and she had a warm but sarcastic demeanor that both did and did not remind Hux of Kylo. “I’m just sorry it‘s under the current circumstance.” 

Rey looked a little sad at that. “Yes, I’m sorry about your loss.” 

Hux nodded numbly. He was trying not to think of the odd mix of absolute depression and yet giddy happiness that he felt when thinking about his father’s passing. 

“Is this the baby?” Rey asked, drawing Hux out of his thoughts. He turned to see Elan hiding behind Kylo’s legs and looking shy. 

“This is Elan. Elan, this is Kylo’s sister, Rey,” Hux said. 

Rey walked over and knelt down to Elan’s height. “I’m very pleased to meet you.” 

“Good to meet you,” Elan said, mumbling a bit. He glanced at Hux nervously and then back to Rey. 

“Don’t crowd him,” Kylo said. 

Rey sighed and stood up, only to throw her arms around Kylo’s neck. “Benny, I missed you so much.” Of course Kylo stiffened completely at that touch. 

“He prefers Kylo or Ren,” Hux cut in. He understood that it might not be easy to remember, but Kylo had changed his name legally, and he hated being called Ben.

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Rey said. She pulled back a little bit. Her smile was sad again. “I did miss you.” 

“Yeah,” Kylo said. He didn’t step back like Hux expected, but then Elan was hiding right behind is legs still.

“So,” Poe Dameron said, cutting through the awkwardness. “Shall we get this done?” 

Poe was leaning against Rey’s truck, with Finn standing next to him. Poe also wore cargo pants and a tee shirt, but the shirt was military green. Finn had on jeans and a black shirt. He watched the scene closely like he was torn between amusement and depression.

“Oh. Yeah,” Rey said, stepping back. “Elan, Hux, this is Finn and Poe, my boyfriend and his roommate.” 

“Nice to finally meet you,” Finn said, waving at Hux. “And Ren,” he nodded at Kylo. Hux was suddenly reminded that Kylo used to babysit Finn as well as Rey. Hux had a hard time not smiling. 

“Go unlock the door,” Kylo said. Hux glanced back to see that Kylo had taken Elan’s hand. Hux dug the key out of his pocket and went to go open the door. 

When Hux got the door open he was hit by the familiar smell of home. He almost started to tear up. He half expected his mother to round the corner and pull him into a hug, and his father’s gruff yell to sound from the living room. It suddenly occurred to him that Elan would never meet his grandmother, because she’d died about a year before Elan was born, shortly after Hux came out to his parents. 

Hux took a shaky breath and stepped inside and out of the way so the others could come in. “Elan,” he said. “Can you take us to your room?” 

“Yes, s-dad,” Elan said, stumbling over his words. Hux smiled weakly and Kylo ruffled Elan’s hair. 

Elan kept hold of Kylo’s hand and dragged him back. Hux followed after them, trying not to look at the pictures on the wall of Elana and Brendol Hux Sr when they were newly married, or the pictures of Hux’s mother when she was still young, or even when she was older. Hux wondered if it would be wrong to take a few with them. 

Elan’s room turned out to be Hux’s old room. Hux’s old trophies from the spelling bee and science fairs and mathletes were still on the top runner shelf near the ceiling. He felt his throat constrict a bit to see them there. The room was very much like he remembered. It was even the same carpet, and the same awful wood paneling. 

It was also as tidy as Hux’s room had ever been. The bedspread was plain and the only things on the walls were Hux’s old cork board with homework lists on them, and a poster tracking Elan’s AR reading points. It was just as lifeless as Hux’s room had been as a child.

“Do you have toys, Elan?” Hux asked.

“Yes,” Elan said. He sounded nervous. He’d pulled away from Kylo when they’d arrived in the room. 

“Can you show us?” Kylo asked. 

Elan looked nervous, but then he ducked under his bed and pulled out a large shoe box. He handed it to Hux. Hux accepted and opened it. He felt his throat tighten. He recognized his old toys instantly: his old army men, his old GI Joes, his bag of marbles. The only thing that wasn’t a toy that Hux grew up with was one he’d bought. 

He lifted the hand sized stuffed elephant out of the box and slowly lowered himself onto his old bed. 

“What’s wrong?” Kylo asked. 

Hux swallowed and smiled. He imagined he looked as broken as he felt. “I remember when I bought this,” he said. 

“You bought it?” Elan asked, sounding confused. 

Hux looked over at Elan, only to see that he couldn’t really see him. He quickly wiped his eyes on his sleeve before he could actually let the tears fall. When he looked at Elan again he could actually see him. 

“When you were a baby, Harry the Elephant used to keep you company in your crib… it was what I had… when you… were given to your grandfather. I had it with us because it was your favorite,” Hux said quietly. 

Elan carefully crawled onto the bed next to the bed and sat next to Hux. “It’s still my favorite. But Grandfather doesn’t know I still have it.” 

Hux handed Harry the Elephant back to Elan, who held onto it tightly as soon as he had it. “I know your Grandfather didn’t really believe in toys,” Hux said. “But I’m not going to take your things from you, alright.” 

“Okay,” Elan said quietly. He looked down at Harry the Elephant again before tentatively hugging it close. Hux thought about hugging Elan, but it seemed wrong, like a violation of Elan’s space. Hux didn’t know if Elan would want it and Hux didn’t think he was ready to be rejected yet. 

Kylo cleared his throat. Hux looked up at him. There was no one else in the room, and Hux didn’t ask why. He knew Kylo had sent them away. And the door was shut. 

“What’s coming with us?” Kylo asked. 

“Everything in here,” Hux said. He took a deep breath and stood up. 

“You sure, because we actually have better furniture?” Kylo asked. 

“Well,” Hux began. He looked down at Elan. “Elan, what do you want?” 

Elan looked thoughtful. “The new bed is nicer,” he said and nodded. 

Hux couldn’t disagree. Elan’s current mattress felt like it was the same one that Hux had as a boy. It was the same frame. The sheets were newer, but not what a little boy would pick for his own room, since it probably the most boring grey Hux had ever seen in his life. 

“What about the dresser?” Kylo asked. 

“We’ll take everything out of it,” Hux assured him. 

“I don’t like it,” Elan said, wrinkling his nose. “The drawers don’t open right.” 

Well, Hux didn’t remember that particular problem from his childhood, but he remembered that his mother complained about a humid summer with no air conditioning having warped some of the wood in the rest of the house. Hux imagined that the same thing could have happened with the dresser. Charleston summers were nothing to sneeze at. 

“There’s plenty of room for your stuff in the dressers at home,” Hux promised him. 

“Then I don’t want these,” Elan said. Then he nodded like his answer was the definitive. 

“Well, that’ll certainly make moving easier,” Kylo said. He reopened the door. “I sent the others to look for boxes and stuff.” 

“Thank you,” Hux said. He looked back down at Elan. “Are you ready to start packing?” 

“Yes,” Elan said, but it his heart didn’t sound completely in it. No matter what Hux’s father was like, the man had still raised Elan. And this was still Elan’s home. Hux didn’t blame him for being hesitant to leave it all behind.

After all, leaving hadn’t been easy for Hux either, even though he’d been excited to leave for college and escape his father’s stifling and ever watchful gaze. He’d known when he left at 18 that he was never coming home again. Now Elan was facing the same thing. This would never be home again, for either of them.

* * *

Their weekend passed in something of a haze. They had a lot to do. Friday was moving day. They packed up what they could, all while Rey cooed over Elan. She didn’t stop herself from calling Elan her nephew. Kylo looked uncomfortable, but Hux hoped that Rey would be Elan’s aunt. He didn’t want to imagine a life without Kylo. 

And Hux thought that Elan could use to have more family. 

Saturday was a shopping day. Elan’s school had a dress code and all of his clothes fit that and only that. Hux bought Elan play clothes. Kylo was the one who encouraged Elan to pick clothes with cartoon characters on them. Elan hadn’t seen many of the shows or movies that were on those shirts. But he knew what sounded interesting by what other kids said. And he’d gotten to watch the Ninja Turtles before. 

Even Hux had to admit that he liked the Ninja Turtle sneakers. Mostly, he liked them because they made Elan beam like the sun. 

Sunday was a rest day, except that it was also “Catch Elan up with Disney Movies” day, as decreed by Kylo. It was a good day, really. 

Then Monday rolled around. 

“I want to go school,” Elan said. Kylo and Hux had planned to go in early and get the paperwork over with, so it surprised them when they got up and found Elan already packed for school and in his uniform and eating a bowl of cereal. 

“You know you don’t have to,” Hux said. 

“You said I couldn’t go on Wednesday, and I can’t miss school. I already missed Friday,” Elan said. Hux found himself having a flashback to himself when he was that young. He was certain that not only would he have said the same thing at that age, but that he probably did say almost the same thing when his grandmother died. 

“If you want to,” Hux said. 

“I want to,” Elan said, setting his mouth in a stubborn line, which reminded Hux very much of Elan’s mother. 

“Okay,” Kylo said with a yawn. “Just wait until we’ve eaten and we’ll get you there, Kid.” 

Kylo sleepily made breakfast while Hux made the coffee. They worked around each other easily. They’d done the sleepy breakfast cooking dance so often that it was as fluid as an actual dance at this point. Kylo often made breakfast for Hux, especially during busy season, since Hux had a stable job and Kylo didn’t. 

They ate standing up because Elan was in the kitchen chair. But they also gave him a plate with some of the bacon and egg white omelet that Kylo made. Elan devoured it too. Hux made a mental note to be certain to make certain that Elan had extra portions. He might be ablout to hit a growth spurt. Certainly Hux had about that age. He remembered his mother talking about it. 

Hux left the kitchen to get his clothes on. It only took a minute as he was used to pulling on his suits quickly. Kylo was already dressed in his “fancy” western cut black jeans and a black button up. 

When Hux came out of the bedroom, Kylo was waiting by the door with Elan, holding Elan’s hand. 

“You two are all ready,” Hux said. 

“The Cheese stands alone,” Kylo said with a smirk. 

“Maybe you put that on your next bit of wall,” Hux snarked back. He ushered his little family out of the house and locked the door and walked down with them to the car.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Kylo said. 

Hux rolled his eyes and helped Elan into the booster seat they’d gotten on Saturday. North Carolina had laws about keeping kids in booster seats until they were at least eight or weighed 80 pounds. Hux suspected that Elan’s next growth spurt would take him out of that, but safety sights suggested using boosters up to tencf. Hux wasn’t taking chance. 

His father had an old booster in the back of his old Ford. The new one was little more complicated. Elan gave him a quiet and polite ‘thank you’ once he was properly buckled in. Hux responded with the perfunctory ‘you’re welcome’ and then went and got in the driver’s seat. 

Hux had done a GPS search for Waddo the previous evening. It wasn’t exactly close. Neither was it on his way to work. Hux might have to break down and help Ren get a car, just to be certain that Elan could easily get to school every day. 

When they arrived the car line was already filled with people, and it took some serious maneuvering to get them to the parking lot and to find a parking space. Kylo jumped out and helped Elan get out of his car seat while Hux got himself together before he got out of the car. He got out in time he see Kylo grab the back of Elan’s jacket before Elan could go bounding away. 

“Hold on there, Kid,” Kylo said. Hux had a second where he wondered if ‘Kid’ was what Kylo’s father had called him. 

“I don’t want to be late,” Elan said. 

“Well, we’re going to walk in with you and then we can walk to you class so we can have some idea of where your class is,” Kylo said. 

Elan pouted, but didn’t say anything. Hux had to bite his bottom lip to keep from smiling. He cleared his throat, getting their attention. “You won’t be late. We’re actually early.” 

“Oh,” Elan said. 

“Lead the way,” Hux said, thinking of what would have made him happy at Elan’s age. “You know your school and we don’t. We need to go to the front office.” 

Elan brightened right up. “This way,” he said. He guided them over to the cross walk. He grabbed both of their hands before they crossed over. Hux jumped when Elan did that. While he hadn’t seen Kylo do the same, he guessed from Kylo’s face that he was at least as surprised. 

“You’re supposed to hold hands when you cross the street,” Elan explained. 

“Oh, yeah,” Hux said. A memory came screaming back from when he was a little boy, and they’d watched a safety video that included holding hands whenever they walked in the parking lot or crossed the street. He vaguely remembered holding his mother’s hand. But a stronger memory was his father barking at him for acting like a baby when he tried to hold his father’s hand when crossing an intersection. 

Elan looked pleased, so Hux decided not to ask if that was something Elan did with his grandfather. 

Elan led them in through a side entrance, but right up to the front office, holding their hands like he’d forgotten he did so. When Hux glanced at Kylo he could see that Kylo looked terribly amused.

The school reminded Hux of his own school, in the way he supposed all schools sort of looked. Tile floors, painted brick walls and fluorescent lights. There were boards and doors covered in cheerful colored paper by teachers trying to make the school look less like a prison and not completely succeeding.

The front office looked very much like how Hux imagined, clean and full of people and furniture that was slightly too old and gave off the feel that children had once vomited on everything in the room, but also that it had also been cleaned within an inch of its life. 

The only surprise was the really cheerful fish tank, which Elan abandoned them for as soon as he saw it. Kylo shook his head and went over and knelt beside Elan, speaking to his quietly about the fish. 

Hux walked to front desk. The secretary looked up from what she was doing and offered him a smile. “Hello, sir, how can I help you?” 

“My name is Brendol Hux Jr. I-”

“Principal Leonis is expecting you,” she said. “Let me got get her,” the young woman said. She got up and walked back into a separate hallway. 

Hux stood there a bit stupidly, not quite caught up from the secretary having cut him off. He was still blinking at the speed when the secretary returned with Dhara Leonis. 

Much of the staff inside the office was black. That was par for the course in Charleston, but Hux felt a little pleased, remembering his father muttering nasty things about his black students when he’d been a teacher at the Arkanis Military Academy. Dhara Leonis was at least as tall as Hux, taller with her heels. Her box braids framed her face, which seemed to be about 98% smile. Her suit was every bit as immaculate as Hux’s own, but a lovely royal blue, which made Hux feel washed out, even with his own bright red hair. 

“It’s good to meet you, Mr. Hux,” Ms. Leonis said, extending her hand. Hux shook her hand. Her grip was extra firm, and Hux felt nothing but relief that he wouldn’t accidentally hurt her with his own strong grip. 

“Ms. Leonis,” Hux said. “I know we have to do paper work, but Kylo and I were wondering if we could walk Elan to class and get a chance to meet Elan’s teacher.” 

Ms Leonia smiled a little brighter. “That sounds like a good idea. Of course you should consider specific parent teacher conferences.” 

“After,” Hux started. He glanced at Elan and then lowered his voice. “The Funeral is Wednesday. After Wednesday. Before that I can’t do more than I absolutely have to.” 

Ms. Leonis looked sympathetic. “I understand. It was like that in my family when my father passed a few years back.” 

“I’m sorry,” Hux murmured. 

“It’s okay,” she said. “Shall we?” 

“Yes. Elan, Kylo,” Hux called. 

Kylo straightened up and offered Elan his hand. Elan took it easily. Hux liked the picture of them standing together like that. 

“Can I go to class?” Elan asked. He eyed Ms. Leonis shyly.

“Of course,” Ms. Leonis said. “I’m going to escort you and your father down so he can meet Ms. Tano.” 

“Kylo too?” Elan asked. 

“Kylo too,” Ms. Leonis said. 

She guided them out and down the hall. The school, she explained, was arranged with the youngest students near the front and the older students near the back. The Middle School years had a separate building. Elan was in second grade, so his hall was somewhat toward the middle.

The school was clean, with prim white walls and students walking to their classrooms. There was work all over the walls, posted by proud teachers so that students could feel proud of their own work. While a part of Hux couldn’t shake his association with his old school, Waddo’s halls felt very human and very lived in. Hux got a sense that Elan could do really well there. 

They stopped in front of an open door covered in yellow paper, with red letters declaring this was Ms. Tano’s room. Ms. Leonis poked her head inside. “Ms. Tano, can I speak with you for a moment?” 

Elan made to move around them, but Hux grabbed his shoulder. “Hold on a moment,” Hux said gently. 

Elan looked uncomfortable, but he stayed still. 

Ms. Tano came the door fairly quickly. Unlike Ms. Leonis, who looked fairly young, Ms. Tano was an old Indian woman with her grey and white hair braided into two braids which laid over her shoulders. She was just as tall as Hux and looked him right in the eyes. He felt that she might be able to snap him in half, but he kept that thought to himself. 

“This is Ahsoka Tano,” Ms. Leonis said. “Elan’s main teacher.” 

“Wait,” Kylo cut in. “Like Ahsoka Tano the street artist? The one who made the old Downtown Mural?” 

Hux resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of the nose. Anything and anyone that had to do with Kylo’s grandfather made Kylo lose his mind. He had to remind himself that Kylo had been very good when Tarkin had showed up, so Hux owed Kylo to not slap for this. 

Ms. Tano chuckled. “Not many people remember that old thing. It’s been painted over for years.” 

Kylo’s eyes lit up. “I have a picture of it. My grandfather always said that it was one of the best works he wished he’d had a hand in.” 

“Really?” she asked. “Who’s your grandfather?” 

“Anakin Skywalker,” Kylo said. Hux was surprised, Kylo mostly referred to his grandfather by his pen name. Not as many people knew who Anakin Skywalker was, but Darth Vader was still a well-known name in North Carolina and Southern Art History. 

Ms. Tano sucked in a breath, so she clearly knew exactly who Kylo meant. 

“Elan, why don’t you go sit down?” Hux suggested. He wasn’t certain he was willing to expose Elan to the Darth Vader controversy just yet. “Kylo and I will be here to get you once school is over, alright?” 

“Okay,” Elan said. “Goodbye.” He took a step or two toward the door and then paused. 

Kylo reached out a ruffled Elan’s hair. Elan pouted and began straightening his hair, making Kylo laugh. “You’re just like your daddy sometimes so much its scary,” he teased. 

“Is it?” Elan asked, his eyes getting huge. 

“Not scary,” Kylo said. “Don’t worry. We’re going to be here for a while, and we’ll be back to get you after school. You go have a good day.” 

“Okay,” Elan about chirped. Then he ducked into the classroom ad walked over to his seat. 

Ms. Tano chuckled. “Well, good to see you’re better with kids than Ani was. He was terrible at it.” 

“That’s what mom says,” Kylo said with a rueful smile. 

“So,” Ms. Tano said, her eyes focusing on Hux. “You must be Elan’s father then.” 

“Yes,” Hux said. 

“I heard about the Commandant,” she said, making Hux wince, remembering his father’s nickname from when he’d taught at the military academy. “Should I extend my condolences?” 

Hux shrugged. “I’ll tell you when I figure it out,” he said. “If he acted toward Elan the way he acted toward me, than probably not.” 

“So, let’s say no,” Ms. Tano said dryly. 

“Not to speak ill of the dead,” Ms. Leonis added. 

“I’m too old to have time for anything like that,” Ms. Tano said. She gave Hux a look that made Hux certain that she was not impressed with him. She didn’t say it out loud, but Hux got the impression that she wouldn’t do so in front of the kids, even if they were mostly out of earshot, and that her nonverbal reproach was just as good as verbal anyway.

“Hey,” Kylo snapped. He had one of his full bore glares on. Hux grabbed Kylo’s hand and gave it a squeeze. He appreciated Kylo defending him, but he didn’t need Kylo begin shouting. It seemed he needn’t have bothered, since Kylo lowered his voice before he began to speak again. “Hux did his best. It wasn’t his fault the judge was scared of gay people.” 

Ms. Tano looked between them, standing silent for a moment. “I had wondered what you had to do with this situation, but now I understand.” 

“Hux is my boyfriend,” Kylo said. “And I don’t like people disrespecting him, especially over something he didn’t have any control over. It’s not his fault his father was an awful human being.” Hux was glad that Kylo had basically dropped to a whisper before he said that. Hux gave Kylo’s hand another squeeze. 

“I’d like to schedule a parent-teacher conference for after Wednesday,” Hux said. 

“Wednesday?” Ms. Tano asked. 

“The funeral,” Hux said quietly. 

“Ah,” she said. “Will you have a problem with some of the teachers coming?” 

Hux looked surprised. He honestly didn’t think he’d get many people there, but he was doing it for himself and for Elan to have a place to grieve, even though Hux was basically paying out of pocket for the whole thing. 

“No,” he said. “I just didn’t think you’d want to go.” 

“It’ll be good for Elan to see people he knows,” Ms. Tano said. “He’s a good kid.” 

“He is,” Hux agreed. “I appreciate it. Truly. I know this isn’t for my sake, but I appreciate that you care that much.” 

Ms. Tano smiled a little. “He’s one of my kids. I’d do anything for my kids.” 

Hux felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. “Thank you, again. We’ll leave you alone now.” 

“Thank you Ms. Tano,” Ms. Leonis said. “Come on,” she said, ushering Kylo and Hux away. 

Ms. Leonis walked them back to the main office. Kylo kept a tight hold of his hand the entire way there. Hux wasn’t particularly keen on letting go either. Ms. Leonis led them back to her office, which had a nice window view of the outside, and was otherwise lit by lamps and not the harsh florescent of the rest of the school. 

Hux and Kylo sat in the chairs across from Ms. Leonis while she handed them forms to fill out. Hux produced his driver’s license, social security card and his original copy of Elan’s birth certificate. The paperwork took a long time to fill out, especially since Hux didn’t technically have his father’s death certificate yet, only Tarkin’s assurance that his father hadn’t written a new guardian into his will. 

Kylo had paperwork to fill out as well, to certify his identity and relationship to Hux. Both of them filled out paperwork so that they could be volunteers, and both of them filled out paperwork so that the school could run background checks on them. 

“I didn’t know that Ms. Tano was so famous,” Leonis said when they were about half way through the paperwork. 

“Some of her work is still in the city,” Kylo said with a smile. This was his area, and he wasn’t talking about it around children, so Hux just smiled his own little smile and let Kylo continue. “She was well known for putting things in improbable places, and for her own special style which was influenced by her Indian parents. She brought visible Asian culture to Charleston when the area still had huge segregation issues and only thought in black and white.” 

Ms. Leonis looked amused. “You seem to know the history of the local art scene.” 

“My grandfather taught me,” Kylo admitted. He blushed a bit. “Before he made canvas work, he learned by studying artists like Mace Windu.” 

“I know who he is,” Leonis said. Her brows furrowed. “But I’ve never heard of Anakin Skywalker, though.” 

“He signed his works as Darth Vader,” Kylo said. He at least had the good sense to look sheepish. 

“Oh,” Ms. Leonis said. Darth Vader was generally considered the first real street artist in Charleston. The problem was that simply wasn’t true, but Darth Vader was a white man copying art styles he’d learned from black artists who had already begun the street scene. In that way, he was a very controversial figure for taking credit for other people’s work. In another way, he was famous before Banksy was even a twinkle in his parents’ eyes and was an influence on Street Art as a medium. 

“You know anything about street art?” Hux asked, seeing the muddled emotions on Ms. Leonis’s face. 

“A little, but I’ve mostly always loved painting,” she said. “It’s always been more of a hobby, but Ms. Tano wants to include an afterschool program about local artists, and types of local art.” 

“Oh, that would be cool,” Kylo said dreamily. “I would have loved that when I was a kid.” 

“You would have wanted to teach it as a kid,” Hux said. 

“Shh,” Kylo said, waving him away. “Graffiti can be so important to the culture of a city, and street artists have such a mixed bag of respect. It would be so cool to be able to talk about that form, and the changing art movements of the city at a young age, to expose kids to real American artists, not just the renaissance nonsense and the landscape painters.” 

Ms Leonis laughed. “You sound like Ms. Tano.” 

“Art gave me something to do with my anger and my grief,” Kylo admitted. “I don’t know Ms. Tano, but I know my grandfather’s stories, and I know he would have said something similar, and I know they were friends once. I swear I wish I could go to an art class she taught, even if I would have to be eight to get to go.” 

“Hmm,” Ms. Leonis said. She sounded thoughtful. But she didn’t mention anything like that again. In fact that slipped back into silence as they finished off their paperwork. Hux wondered if she’d meant to say something then, but the thought slipped away, buried under all the things he still had to fill out.


	4. Chapter 4

Paperwork aside, Monday went fairly easily. Hux and Kylo got a chance to go out for lunch together and Hux got to work a few hours from home before they had to get Elan. They took him home. Hux helped Elan with his math and spelling homework while Kylo cooked dinner for them. Elan got to watch TV for a while before bed, and Hux read him a story before bed. 

Hux felt like maybe they would all be okay after Monday night. Then Tuesday came. 

Hux didn’t have the luxury of going to work. He still had to coordinate with the funeral director about the wake and the funeral itself and making certain everything was paid for. It was a lot of decisions in a short amount of time, and he still hadn’t seen the Will. 

He felt lucky enough to get in enough work to qualify for a half day. He only got two weeks a year off from the firm, and he wouldd want at least one of those weeks for a week off with Elan over the summer. He didn’t want to waste days on his father’s funeral. 

He was slightly agitated trying to figure out if his firm would pay for grief days or if it cut into other days off. Going to get Elan just made his mood drop more. Mostly he worked late enough that he couldn’t get Elan from school, and occasionally he had to be in early enough that he wouldn’t be able to drop him off. 

“You remember we have the Viewing this evening, right?” Hux asked Elan when he drove him home. Kylo had stayed behind to work on dinner. Hux was going to give him a big kiss when everything was. Kylo was being a big trooper when it came to all of this. 

“Yes,” Elan said. “Is this where we say goodbye to Grandpa?” 

“Part of it,” Hux said. “The funeral is tomorrow. Tonight it’s so people who knew him can come and see him. It’s to let people who can’t come tomorrow get a chance to see him.” 

“Oh,” Elan said. “Do I have to do my homework tonight?” 

“I think we can put it off for a day,” Hux said. “We’ll have time tomorrow evening to do it.” 

“Okay,” Elan said and went back to looking out the window. 

Hux sighed. They would also have time that evening for Elan to do his homework. Hux had only been able to get a 6-8pm slot for the Viewing. Elan was going to be exhausted by the time they got home. Hux wasn’t looking forward to that. Luckily they’d all get to sleep in a little. He imagined, hoped really, that Elan would end up being bored at the funeral home, rather than upset. He’d make certain to pack Elan’s homework and a few toys. 

Of course, Hux’s father would have hated that. He would have demanded that Elan stand up straight and act like an adult all evening. If anything, that just made Hux want to double down on the effort to give Elan something else to do as the evening wore on. Would it be terrible to bribe his son with ice cream? Or to send Kylo out with Elan to get ice cream while Hux stayed and greeted whoever in the world would come? 

His mind was still completely on what he would need to do during the Viewing when they arrived home. He held Elan’s hand in the parking deck, because hand holding extended to parking decks as well, according to Hux. 

Hux opened the front door without checking to see if it was locked. He knew it wouldn’t be because he knew that Kylo would have left it open for them. Hux let Elan in and carefully toed off his shoes by the door. He watched Elan watch him and try to do the same thing. He wasn’t as coordinated, but Hux felt pleased when Elan figured out how to do it so quickly. 

“We’re home,” Hux called, in case Kylo had his headphones in.

“There you are,” Kylo said, rounding the corner. His eyes were too wide and there was a harried nature to his movements. 

“What’s wrong?” Hux demanded. Had Tarkin found someone else who Elan had actually been willed to? Had he come to take Elan away again? Hux half stepped in front of Elan before Kylo even opened his mouth. 

“My mother’s here,” Kylo said. 

“Oh,” Hux said. He let out a breath of relief. 

“Oh? That’s all you have to say?” Kylo demanded. 

“Sorry, I thought it was Tarkin,” Hux said quietly. 

“Ah. No,” Kylo said. “Rey told her about Elan… she said she wants to meet her grandson.” 

Hux felt his heart flip over. That made it sound like Kylo’s mother considered them together, like Hux and Elan were her family too. He had to swallow that down quickly. What if Kylo didn’t want that? Hux licked his lips and spoke quietly but carefully. He glanced down at Elan who was looking up at them both with curious eyes. 

“Do you um… not want that?” Hux asked. 

Kylo blushed a bit. “I mean, it’s my mom,” he said. Hux knew how complicated that was. “I mean, I don’t mind her saying that, though.” 

Hux felt a touch of relief. “Later. We’ll talk about it later.” 

Kylo nodded. “Okay, Kid. You want to meet your Grandmother?” 

“But you said she was your mom,” Elan said, giving Kylo a suspicious look. Hux had to bite down a smile. 

“Yeah, well, I’m like your dad’s partner. So it’s a little like I’m adopting you too. So my mom is your grandmom,” Kylo said with a too big smile. Hux could tell he was nervous. 

“Then how come you aren’t married?” Elan asked. 

“A really good question for another day,” a feminine voice said. Hux turned around to look at Mrs. Organa-Solo, Charleston’s Mayor. 

“Madam Mayor,” Hux said politely. 

Kylo sighed heavily. “Elan, this is my mother, Leia Organa-Solo.” 

“Wow,” Elan breathed, his eyes getting huge. He apparently did know who she was. 

Kylo’s mother smiled pleasantly. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Elan.” 

“It’s nice to meet you” Elan said quickly. He got a little red, embarrassed by his slip. 

Kylo’s mother smiled a little bit. “Would you like to call me Grandmother, or Miss Leia?” she asked. 

“I can call you Grandmother?” Elan asked like he didn’t really believe it. Hux felt Elan grab onto his pants. Hux rested his hand on top of Elan’s head. Elan jolted and looked up at Hux. Hux rubbed his head, trying to be soothing. The motion felt awkward, and Hux hoped his son didn’t think the touch was weird. 

“She offered to let you call her Grandmother,” Hux said. “She wouldn’t offer if she didn’t mean it.” 

Elan’s ears turned red and he ducked his head. Hux felt Elan press his face into his pants. 

“Alright, Grandmother,” Elan said, his voice muffled by Hux’s pants. 

For a moment all three adults smiled, completely charmed by the little boy. Then Kylo cleared his throat. 

“Okay, Kid, time for dinner. Come on, let’s get your hands washed,” Kylo said. He steered Elan out from behind Hux and in toward the bathroom. 

Kylo’s mother was smiling sadly. “You know,” she said quietly. “His dad used to call him “Kid”.”

“I suspected,” Hux admitted. “Thank you, Mrs. Solo, for accepting Elan.” 

“Leia is fine,” she said. “And I don’t mind. It’s going to be years before Rey is ready to settle down and have kids.” 

“Maybe not as long as you think,” Hux said, thinking about how Finn and Rey had acted around each other. 

“Oh, those two have been in love since they were babies themselves. But my daughter is sadly as sensible as I am. She’s going to wait until she has her degree, a good job and an apartment before she even thinks about proposing,” Leia said. 

Hux laughed. The sound surprised him a little, and he quickly cut it off, but Leia looked amused. “You’re certain Finn isn’t going to suddenly propose?” 

“She knows he’ll say yes at any point. He’s waiting for her to be ready,” Leia said. “He’s good for her.” 

Hux thought about it and then nodded. He hoped that Elan found that kind of person in the future. “That’s good,” he finally said. 

“In any case, I’m sorry about your father,” she said. 

“I think I am as well,” Hux admitted. 

“Your son is very sweet,” she said.

“Yes, but he’s why I’m not certain that I’m sorry,” Hux admitted. 

“I don’t blame you. Rey filled me in a little bit. Are you certain that he’s completely in your custody?” she asked. 

“The judge brought him here for a reason,” Hux said. “He doesn’t like me or my dating men. He wouldn’t have brought him here except that there wasn’t another option.” 

“But?” she asked. She’d clearly heard the hesitance in his voice. 

Hux sighed heavily. “But, I still haven’t seen the Will,” he admitted. 

“Do you know when you will?” she asked. 

“The Judge assured me that my father hadn’t updated it to include Elan. It’s mostly a question of if he updated it after I left the house, or if he even updated it after mom died. For all I know it says that everything goes to mom. Not that there’s much. We got everything out that was Elan’s, mine or family pictures.” 

They’d left a lot of stuff behind. Really, Hux hoped he didn’t get the house. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about cleaning it out, or selling his family home. 

“If you have a problem, call me, alright?” Leia asked. 

Hux met her gaze. He felt touched. He knew that it wouldn’t be great for her next campaign if she was embroiled in a family scandal involving her estranged son’s gay lover. 

“Thank you. And thank you again for accepting Elan,” he said. “He never met his other grandmother.” 

“Or his other grandfather,” Leia said. Hux winced a bit. “Did Ben tell you that he killed Han?”

“He thinks he caused his heart attack,” Hux said. 

“Han lived a hard life from his youth. He kicked his habits after Rey was born, but the damage was done. He wasn’t going to live to be ninety. And no matter how they fought, Han always was proud of Ben. He was just worried that Ben would take after him.” 

“He prefers Kylo,” Hux said. 

“I know, but he’s my son, and I still think of him as little Ben,” she said. 

“Can you not?” Kylo asked. He’d come out Elan in tow. “Come on, dinner’s ready.” 

“Will you be joining us?” Hux asked Leia. 

“Yes, I think so. Do you mind my accompanying you to the viewing?” she asked. 

Hux looked at Kylo who shrugged. Hux wished he’d gotten a yes or no, but he didn’t have the ability to read Kylo’s mind. Hux didn’t want to hurt him, but he did want Elan to start getting to know his new family, and Hux had always wanted to meet Kylo’s family. Kylo left it up to him. 

“Yes, you may,” Hux said. “Please come in.” 

Kylo sighed. “Okay, Elan, can you set the table?” 

“There’s not enough room in the kitchen,” Elan protested. 

“He means the table in the living room,” Hux explained. “We’ll sit on the floor, it will be okay.” 

“If you say so,” Elan said, like he wasn’t really certain that was true, but Hux was the adult in charge, so Elan would do it anyway. 

“How about I help?” Leia offered. 

“Please,” Kylo said. He stepped out of the way of the kitchen. He gathered up utensils and plates and napkins and dropped them in his mother’s hands, shooing her out of the kitchen. 

Hux moved around her and Elan into the kitchen. Kylo was stirring the stew he’d begun working on early in the day. His shoulders looked slumped. 

“I can still send her away,” Hux said quietly. 

“No,” Kylo said back, just as quietly. “It’ll be good to have someone else to watch Elan, and we can probably send her home with him early to get him to bed.” 

Hux bristled a bit at that suggestion. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her. He just didn’t know her and he wasn’t ready to have Elan be away from him any more than he had to. School and work was one thing, but Hux wanted Elan at his side through this. He wanted to be certain that he wouldn’t come home and find out that Elan had been taken from him again. 

“Or not,” Kylo said. He sighed deeply. “Is it terrible that I wish I could throw her out?” 

“I can send her away,” Hux insisted. 

“No, no,” Kylo said. “I want Elan to get to know her. She was always good with kids who weren’t me. And I want him to have adults in his life who are nice.” The ‘Unlike your father’ went unsaid. 

“Well, just because she sees Elan, doesn’t mean you have to be around her.” Hux slipped an arm around Kylo’s waist. He tugged Kylo against him until he could feel Kylo’s warmth and he was certain Kylo could feel his as well. With his other hand, Hux brushed Kylo’s curls away from his neck and placed a soft kiss on the exposed skin. 

Kylo shivered. Hux loved it when Kylo shivered like that, especially when Hux was the cause.

“No,” Kylo breathed out a little too late. Hux smirked, knowing he’d properly distracted his boyfriend for a moment. Kylo laid his hand over the arm Hux had around his waist. “I need to be an adult and learn to be around her.” 

“How grown up of you,” Hux murmured. 

“Well, I’m trying anyway,” Kylo said. “I don’t want to have to go hide every time my mother shows up. I want to be able to be around Elan when she’s around him. I don’t want him to ever feel like wanting to be around her is wrong, especially if he ends up liking her.” 

They went quiet for a second. Hux could hear Leia and Elan talking out in the living room, but he didn’t try to listen to way they said. There was something about Kylo’s words which had sounded so sad and personal. 

“Your mother was like that with your grandfather, wasn’t she?” Hux asked quietly. 

“Anakin Skywalker had a lot of priors. He’d been to prison because of stunts he pulled for his art and he never could really support them. She distanced herself for her career, but she also didn’t like him,” Kylo said. 

“Didn’t your father have priors for drug smuggling?” Hux asked, feeling confused. 

“Yes he did,” Kylo said. “You see why it’s complicated in my family.” 

“Yeah,” Hux murmured. He stepped back. Kylo turned and caught Hux. He cupped Hux’s face in his hands and kissed him sweetly. 

“It’s not complicated with you,” Kylo said, looking Hux right in the eyes. 

Hux gulped and licked his lips. “Even with Elan?” 

“He’s not much of a complication. You love him. You love me. You want him to love you. You want me to love you and him,” Kylo said. He shrugged. Kylo was still cupping his face and they were still pressed chest to chest. 

“I want him to love you too,” Hux said. “He certainly seems to like you more than he likes me.” 

“How many times do I have to tell you that he’ll love you?” Kylo asked with a sad smile. “He wants you to love him. He wants it to be okay to love you.” 

“How can you be certain?” Hux asked. He felt so wounded hearing that. He was certain of Kylo’s assessment. But Elan always should have been certain. He shouldn’t have had to doubt that someone could love him, especially Hux, who still felt those missing years like a physical ache. 

“Because he’s like you,” Kylo said. “And that’s how you acted around me when we first began to date. I mean, not exactly, but I can see that in his shyness.” 

“I seem to remember that I was mean to you to begin with,” Hux said dryly. 

“True, but you can be shy. The meanness covers for it,” Kylo said. 

Hux laughed breathlessly. “You should have gone into psychology.” 

Kylo laughed loudly. “Like hell I’d have been any good at it. I wouldn’t have wanted to put up with listening to other people whine.” 

“Only people you like,” Hux said. 

“Only people I like,” Kylo agreed. 

“Is dinner really ready?” Elan asked from the door way. He was pouting. 

“Yes, you scamp, now go on,” Kylo said, shooing Elan back out to the living room. “Help me?” he asked Hux. 

“Of course,” Hux said. He helped Kylo get the food out to the table, feeling a lot lighter than he had when he’d first arrived home.

* * *

Hux really wished he’d been able to just stay at dinner, rather than have to go to the Viewing. Leia drove her own car, and Hux drove in with Kylo at his left and Elan in the back in his booster seat. Elan had chatted about his new grandmother. He’d waffled between excited and talking about what he had Leia had talked about over dinner, like Kylo and Hux hadn’t been there to hear it, and shyly asking questions to Kylo about what Leia was like. 

It was a fairly pleasant drive. Kylo seemed to relax when he could think of Leia as Elan’s grandmother, instead of thinking of Leia as his mother. He even enjoyed telling funny stories about things she’d done with Kylo when he’d been a boy. 

Elan’s eyes had gotten huge over dinner when he realized that Kylo was also ‘Ben’. He had nodded and accepted that ‘Ben’ was only something Leia could call Kylo, though. “Mom Rules,” Leia had whispered loudly with a twinkle in her eye. 

Then they’d arrived at the funeral home. Unfortunately there had been another Viewing earlier and they were still clearing out when Hux pulled up. It had apparently been someone very well loved, because there had been a lot of people and they hadn’t wanted to go. That was the beginning of Hux’s renewed bad mood. 

When the other people had finally cleared out, Hux had been led in to see his father before other people started arriving.

That had been a surreal experience. In some ways it was worse than seeing his mother in her casket. She’d been sick for a while before she died, and the funeral directors had made her look healthier laying there dead than she had been in her last days of life. 

But seeing his father was a shock. Hux had just become so used to not seeing his father that somehow, even knowing Brendol Hux Sr was dead, Hux had still believed that his father was alive, just off somewhere that Hux couldn’t see. But suddenly there his father was, older than Hux remembered, and very dead. 

Hux had instantly felt angry because he hadn’t had time to adjust to his father being older when seeing him in the casket made Hux face the fact that his father was dead. His father was never going to yell at him again, or smack him for sassing off. 

And he’d never have a chance to tell Hux that he was proud of him. 

That thought had taken all of the air right of off Hux’s lungs. It was over. Whatever their relationship was, or had been, it was now over. There would be no better and no worse. It was all done. 

That thought forced Hux to find chair to sit down. He couldn’t look at his father’s body after that. He wasn’t ready to see anyone else, or for Elan to see. He just had to sit there and try to remember how to breathe. 

“Bad?” Kylo asked when he came in and found Hux alone, sitting down with his face in his hands. 

“Bad,” Hux agreed. 

Kylo sat down next to Hux and put his arm around him. “It was bad when my dad died too,” he said quietly. 

“Except that you liked your dad at some point,” Hux muttered. 

“You liked your dad too at some point,” Kylo reminded him. “Don’t lie to yourself that you didn’t.” 

Hux swallowed thickly and leaned against Kylo. “How did you survive it?” 

“I don’t really know,” Kylo said. He kissed the top of Hux’s head. “I just did. And you just will as well.” 

Hux didn’t know why, but he did find that to be comforting. 

“Is Elan ready?” Hux asked. 

“He’s getting nervous,” Kylo said. “You sure you want him to see this?” 

“He was there when his grandfather died,” Hux said. “He needs the closure.” 

“If you’re certain,” Kylo said. He stood up and took Hux’s hand and helped his stand up as well. 

They walked out of the room shoulder to shoulder. Leia was sitting on a sofa next to Elan who was sitting quietly reading one of his textbooks. Hux felt an odd sense of déjà vu, in that he was certain he looked like that at that age, almost exactly. 

“Elan,” Hux said. He hadn’t spoken very loud, but his voice just felt too loud in the still, solemn funeral home. He worked very hard to focus on the way Elan’s head shot up and not the over floral, over formal, unlived in nature of the funeral home. 

“Father?” Elan asked. 

Hux winced. That sounded so formal. “Dad is okay.” 

“Oh,” Elan said. Now it was his turn to look uncomfortable. “Dad,” he said hesitantly. 

“Are you ready to say goodbye?” Hux asked. He held out his hand, offering it to Elan. 

Elan didn’t say anything. He walked over to Hux and accepted his hand. 

“Do you want me to go with you?” Kylo asked. 

“No, we’re okay,” Hux said. He tugged Elan along with him into the room with the body. 

There were pictures of Brendol Hux Sr from when he was young and newly married, all the way up to recently with Elan. The find of old pictures of his father as a little boy, looking very much like both Hux and Elan had been amazing. But the picture Hux liked the most was one of his father with Elan at the beach. They were both smiling. 

Sometimes his father would take him to a baseball game, or he’d surprise his son with a trip to DC to tour Congress. Hux had a handful of memories that cut him deep because they were happy. And he knew that Elan would have the same. That picture of the beach trip proved it. 

Everything in a funeral home was made to evoke a solemn nature. The carpet was never so plush to be frivolous, but also plush enough to muffle footsteps. Elan and Hux made almost no noise as they walked into the room. People had sent flowers. The scent could be so overwhelming. After his mother’s funeral, Hux had a strong association of the smell of lilies with death. He hoped that Elan didn’t end up with the same association once this was over. 

“We you in the room when your grandfather died?” Hux asked. 

“I called 911 when he fell down,” Elan said. “He wouldn’t talk or get back up.” 

Heart attack, Hux knew. He gave Elan’s hand a squeeze. “You did everything right.” 

“Yes, Dad,” Elan said. He just didn’t sound like he believed it. 

They walked over to the casket. Elan wasn’t quite tall enough to see over and see his grandfather. Hux let go of Elan’s hand and scooped him up so that he could see inside. 

“Grandpa?” Elan asked the dead body. Hux felt his heart squeeze. 

“It’s not him. It’s just his body,” Hux said. 

“I know,” Elan said. “He never let me call him Grandpa.” 

Hux hugged him a little tighter. “I always had to call him “father” or “sir”.” 

“He doesn’t look right,” Elan said. 

“It’s because he’s completely still. Even sleeping people breath,” Hux said. 

“Okay. Can I get down?” Elan asked. 

“Yeah,” Hux said. He carefully put Elan down. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that alone.” 

Elan nodded, but he didn’t speak. He did slip his small hand into Hux’s. Hux gave it a little squeeze. 

“Are you ready to go back out?” Hux asked. 

Elan shook his head no. 

“Okay,” Hux said. “There’s no rush. Just tell me when you’re ready.” 

He allowed them to lapse into silence for a while. They just stood there holding hands for a while. Hux would occasionally look at Elan, who was looking resolutely at the casket. 

“Can I see him again?” Elan finally asked.

“Yes,” Hux said. He picked Elan up again and helped him up so he could see into the casket. 

Elan reached out and touched his grandfather’s face. Hux felt like Elan was probably braver than himself at that moment. Hux never wanted to touch a dead body. 

“Okay,” Elan said, when he pulled his hand back. 

“Okay,” Hux responded. He put Elan down. Elan wandered over to where the pictures were on display. Hux followed after him, curious about which ones Elan was looking at. He did linger at the picture of the two of them at the beach. Then he paused at the picture of Hux and his father at a baseball game. 

“Is this you?” Elan asked. 

“Yeah,” Hux said. “A long time ago.” 

“But it looks like me,” Elan said, surprise in his words. 

Hux couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Yes, it does,” he said. “We happen to look like each other, being related.” 

Elan turned and gave him a look that Hux recognized as Kylo’s sour face when Hux said something really obvious or stupid. Hux couldn’t help but laugh fully. 

“You’ve been spending too much time with Kylo,” Hux said. 

“I like Kylo,” Elan said defensively. 

“So do I,” Hux agreed. 

“Is he staying?” Elan asked. 

Hux frowned. “Do you have a reason to think he wouldn’t?” 

“Grandfather dated women before, but they never stayed,” Elan said. He looked back at the pictures, starting to flip through the album of photos of Hux and his parent’s various vacations. 

“Yes, but it’s different,” Hux said. 

“Grandfather called them his girlfriends.” 

“Yes, but the difference is that I have been dating Kylo for a while now, for years,” Hux said. 

“Then how come you aren’t married?” 

“Mostly because I haven’t asked yet,” Hux said. “I was thinking about it. I was thinking of maybe proposing on the 4th of July.” Kylo loved watching fireworks from their balcony. It would be a good, simple setting, but also something special for the two of them.

“So why don’t you?” Elan asked. 

“I think I should give it more time,” Hux said. 

“Why?” Elan asked. He turned back to look at Hux. His eyes were just a little too big for his still growing head. 

“Because there’s a big change in our lives,” Hux said. 

“Me,” Elan said quickly. “You think he’ll leave because of me?” 

“No,” Hux said. “No, I think if he does it will be because of something I did.” 

“What would you do to make him go?” 

Hux sighed. “I don’t know. But I know that things are going to be a bit weird for a while until we figure out how we want to live our lives. So I should probably wait a few more months.”

“I don’t want Kylo to go,” Elan said. 

“Me either,” Hux said. “I want you and him and me to continue to live together for quite some time.” 

“What happens if he leaves?” Elan asked. 

“Well, I’ll have you. And that will be enough,” Hux said. Elan looked at Hux like he didn’t believe him. “I mean that.” 

Elan looked back at the pictures and started to flip the pages. 

“Elan, look at me,” Hux said. Elan had been trained to not ignore a direct order from an adult, so he did turn to look at Hux. But he looked very upset. 

“Don’t lie,” Elan said. 

“I’m not,” Hux said. “I still keep all of the baby pictures I have with you and me. It broke me when you were taken from me. I know you might not believe me, but if I have you, my life is enough.” 

Elan looked sad again, but he didn’t look away. “I wasn’t enough for grandfather.” 

“Well I wasn’t either,” Hux said. “The whole world wasn’t enough for him. He was always looking for something that he couldn’t find and didn’t know what it was.” 

“Do you know what it was?” Elan asked. 

“No,” Hux said. “But I know that it’s not my fault or your fault that we weren’t enough. I don’t think father would have known what it was he wanted even if it stood right in front of him.” 

“How come?” 

Hux sighed. He scrubbed his hands over his face and tried to figure out how to explain. He glanced at the picture albums and the pictures spread out over table. He zeroed in on one in particular: it was his father sitting with the grandfather Hux had never met, but had heard so much about in his youth. Hux picked up that picture and handed it to Elan. 

“Do you know who this is?” he asked. 

Elan stared at it for a moment, thinking about his answer. “Is it you?” 

“That is your grandfather,” Hux said. 

“Wow, really?” Elan asked. He sounded surprised and happy. “He looks like us!” 

Hux felt oddly touched that Elan had included him in that assessment. 

“Yes, he did,” Hux said. “Do you know who that man is behind him?” 

“No,” Elan said. 

“That’s his father, your great grandfather.” 

“Wow,” Elan breathed out, looking closely at the picture. 

“Yes, you see, my grandfather, your great grandfather was a very particular man. He raised your grandfather to be just like him. And your Grandfather tried to do the same with me and you.” 

“But we’re not him,” Elan said. 

“Exactly,” Hux said. “I think whatever your grandfather was searching for was something that didn’t exist. I think it was whatever would make him more like his father, and whatever it was, he was hoping to replicate, to make it be in us as well. Do you understand?” 

“I think so,” Elan said. He looked sadly at the photo. “You can’t be someone else.” 

“Exactly,” Hux said. “You can be like someone else, but you can’t be them entirely.” 

“Are you like grandfather?” 

“A little,” Hux said. “In some ways less than I wanted, and other ways more than I wish I was.” 

“Why?” 

“Because your grandfather was a strong man. He was smart and could always find an alternative solution. When something went wrong in his life he would find another way to either get what he wanted or to make the best with what he had. And he played the long game.” 

“The long game?” 

“I mean that he didn’t mind if whatever it was didn’t get done when he could see it, as long as it got done eventually. That was why he raised us like he did. He wanted us to build what he couldn’t.” 

“Is that good?” Elan asked. 

“Not in that case,” Hux said. He lowered himself to sit on the floor. Elan plopped down when he saw Hux doing the same. Hux smiled at him a little and Elan smiled back at him. 

“You said you wanted to be more like him,” Elan said. 

“I wanted to be able to move on the way he always seemed to be able to do. When you were taken from me I buried myself in work because I knew I would break apart if I stopped moving. But I didn’t plan for the life I got. I didn’t plan to just keep living until Kylo came along and gave me a reason to want to live. But your grandfather always, always had other plans. Even after your grandmother died.” 

“Did you want to get away from me?” Elan asked. His tone suggested that he had figured out that wasn’t what Hux meant, but that he wasn’t certain what he meant.

“I wanted to stop hurting all the time,” Hux said. “But I think maybe now it wasn’t a bad thing that I hurt.” 

“But hurting hurts,” Elan said. 

Hux smiled weakly. “Yes, but it also means that what I loss matters,” Hux said. 

“Me,” Elan said. His tone had just a bit of wonder. 

“Yes, you,” Hux said with a smile. “That hurt now means that I’m happy now. Even though I hurt because my father’s dead, I’m happy that you’re here. It’s complicated, but I think it’s supposed to be that way.” 

“Is everything so complicated?” Elan asked. 

“No, but people tend to be,” Hux said. “I want to be able to plan like my father was able to. I want to be unselfish enough to want to build things that will last after I’m gone, things that you and your children and grandchildren can benefit from.” 

Elan giggled. “I’m not old enough to have kids.” 

“Not yet,” Hux said, smiling back. On a whim he reached out and tugged on Elan’s ear, which made him giggle more. “But some day you will, and I want to do things that help you and them. But I also don’t want to force you or your kids to be people you aren’t.” 

“Dad?” Elan asked. He looked thoughtful. “What if I am like grandfather?” 

“Do you want to be?” Hux asked. 

“Maybe a little, but not a lot.” 

“Me too,” Hux said. “Because your grandfather had good parts. I hope I have more of his good parts than his bad. I’m like him some.” 

“Will I be like you some too?” 

“Probably,” Hux said with a smile. “And it might not all be good, because people aren’t perfect.” 

“Do you not want me to be like you?” 

“I want you to be like me only as much as you want to be,” Hux said. 

Elan looked thoughtful. He nodded once. “Okay.” He handed the photo back to Hux. 

“Are you ready to go back out to grandma?” he asked. 

“Yes,” Elan said. “Dad, if Kylo leaves, will she still be grandma.” 

“Knowing her, I’d say absolutely,” Hux said. He stood up and put the picture back on the table. “And I imagine that Kylo will still want to be in your life too.” 

“Why?” Elan asked. He stood up too. 

“Because I know Kylo. And I see how much he likes you already. He’s not good at liking people. But when he likes you, he never wants to let you go.” 

“Does he like you?” Elan asked. 

It was Hux’s turn to be surprised. Without meaning to, Elan had walked him right into the answer Hux had been looking for since Tarkin called him. Would Kylo really want to stay with him when he realized what a mess Hux’s life really was? The answer was really very easy. 

“Yes,” Hux said. “He likes me very much.” 

“Then he’ll stay,” Elan said like he was certain. 

“I think so too,” Hux said, feeling very certain of his own answer as well. He reached out for Elan’s hand. Elan grabbed onto his hand and started to lead him out of the room. “Maybe I will ask him on the 4th of July.” 

“Good,” Elan said. 

“But you can’t say anything to Kylo. It needs to be a surprise,” Hux said. 

“I won’t tell him,” Elan said. “Promise.” 

“Good,” Hux said. 

Hux allowed Elan to drag him out to the main hall. There were a few people already milling around. He noticed Rey, Finn and Poe already there. Ms. Leonis was there as well, with a tall black man who Hux guessed was her brother, and a feisty looking Asian woman who was tucked into Ms. Leonis’s brother’s side. They were talking to Ms. Tano. Elan broke away from Hux to go say hello to his teacher. 

Hux let him go, instead walking over to Kylo. He wrapped his arms around Kylo and dragged him into a kiss. 

Kylo ended up laughing into the kiss and breaking them apart. “What’s that for, you goof?” 

“Just because I like you,” Hux said with a touch of a smile. He knew he didn’t do PDA much. He knew Kylo would be wondering why. And he knew that his father’s friends would be coming later in that evening and they would never approve of Hux kissing his boyfriend over his dead father’s body. 

But Hux didn’t care at that moment. Kylo loved him, and he was already falling in love with Elan. Kylo would stay and they would be a family together. Hux wasn’t alone anymore, and if Kylo’s nosy relatives had any say in it, he never would be again. That was good, in Hux’s books.


	5. Chapter 5

The funeral was good, as far as funerals went. It was short, but then funerals were supposed to be. They had a service at the funeral home. Hux asked the minister of the church that his mother had always taken him to as a little boy to officiate. Hux wasn’t surprised to hear that they were still on the records of attendance, and that his father had taken Elan there every Sunday. Hux remembered his father having a disdain for religion, but given that Hux had turned out gay, it made sense that his father would drag Elan to church, hoping to pray the gay cooties away. Hux was a little surprised that they had a fairly good attendance. He realized that he shouldn’t have been surprised. His father had been a military man who’d been the Commandant of a Military school for a number of years. 

In attendance were a number of past students who had gone on to have excellent military careers after they graduated from Arkanis. Also in attendance were his father’s friends from the service, and people like Tarkin who his father had rubbed elbows with over the years. There were church members who were used to seeing Brendol Hux Sr at church every Sunday. Elan’s Sunday school teacher showed up and gave Elan a big hug. It seemed like every teacher Elan ever had showed up, and a couple of kids from school whose parents had heard. 

So Hux was surprised to see the crowd of people in the small chapel, but not completely unhappy. A part of him that was still a little boy was glad to see that his father was well liked. 

Over the weekend Hux had been contacted by a few people who wanted to speak at the service. Two previous students, an old friend and a fellow church goer all stood up and said very nice things. Hux found himself sitting in the front row, with Elan between him and Kylo, and the rest of Kylo’s family sitting down the line of the family pew. Every time someone spoke about how good his father was, Hux was thrown back into memories of being a little boy and how nice his father always seemed to people outside of their family. 

Those kind words made him equal parts angry and proud. He liked that his father was well liked, but he also hated that no one seemed to know his father at all, not really. But then, Hux also knew that he hadn’t see all of his father, only the part his father showed at home. Hux wondered if everyone who ever knew his father were in one room if they would be able to piece together enough information to figure out all of who his father was. 

Hux doubted it, because he knew his father’s father had viciously pruned back parts of his father’s personality when he was young. Hux always suspected that part of why he and his father hadn’t gotten on well was that Hux was more like his father than Brendol Hux Sr had wanted. Hux thought maybe a lot of who he was were the parts of his father that his father did everything to hide. Hux had wondered if his father’s anger was jealousy that his son could be who he wanted to be while Brendol Hux Sr was too afraid. 

Hux had a similarly nice speech to give. But by the time it was his turn to speak he’d crumpled up. The minister announced that he would be speaking last, and Hux stood. He walked up to the lectern and faced the crowd. 

“I’m very happy to see how many of you are here. Every little boy wants to know that his father was well liked. We had a similarly large crowd for my mother’s funeral.” He took a breath and continued. “Today I am officially an orphan. But I imagine that a lot of you didn’t know I was even alive. The reason for that is simple. Eight years ago my father cut me off because I was gay.” 

A murmur went through the crowd, and Hux waited for it to die down before he spoke. He felt his heart starting to pound, and he needed that moment to breathe and collect his thoughts. 

“Seven years ago my father took me to court and took my infant son away from me. He did so because I was gay and because he could. I was a disappointment to him. I wasn’t a military man and never would be. I went into accounting, and worst of all, I preferred men. He came into my home and convinced me that he wanted to reconcile and help me with my son. Instead he found enough information on me to take me to court and say I was unfit. The judge assures me that at the time, being a college student living in a dorm that I wasn’t as fit as an older man with a house. But I know it was because I am gay. I know because the judge has a record and my father has a favorite slur.” 

He stopped and took a breath. He was rambling. He took another breath and pressed on. 

“I know traditionally you only say nice things at a funeral. And I’m certain that everyone who has spoken means every nice thing they said. He had a great public face. He could be kind and helpful and supportive. I always saw this man when we were outside of the house, but that wasn’t the man I knew. Which isn’t to say that your experiences weren’t real. I know my father was always himself. He just had a lot of selves. He seemed like he was happy to be with all of you, because I know that he was. Your experiences were real. But so was mine.” 

He took another breath. His hands were squeezed into fists. He let them go when he exhaled. He needed to not tense up. 

“With me, and as far as I can tell with Elan, he could be very cold. He tried to build us to be exactly like him. I thought… I still think that the parts of me that he hated were the ones most like him, but the parts he was ashamed to admit. I am stubborn like him. I am smart, like him. I am a planner. I think long term, but not as long as him. I demand respect. I stand tall. He taught me to be proud of being a Hux. And I am. I am proud of who I am. I am proud of who he made me. I am proud of what came out that he wanted to teach me, and the parts that came out in spite of what he wanted.” 

He’d begun to speak too quickly. He took another breath and forced himself to speak slower. 

“My father was a cold, harsh, and sometimes abusive man. I know this. I know you don’t. But he still taught me to love baseball, especially the Minors. He taught me the mathematics I have built my life on. He taught me to swim. He told me war stories. As unhappy as he was that I didn’t join the army, I know he was also proud that I didn’t. Because I made an informed decision. I explained to him exactly why I didn’t want to go, and he was angry, but I saw pride in his eyes because he couldn’t refute my arguments.” 

He laughed a little. “For every negative thing I say about him I have a positive. For as angry as I am that he took Elan from me, I am also glad that my son knew his grandfather. For as much as I hate him, I love him every bit as much. I wish he wasn’t dead. I spent eight years furious with him and also missing him. I regret that there was no reconciliation.” 

Hux felt himself begin to tear up. He didn’t try to wipe his tears away. He just let them fall. 

“I love my father, and I know that in his own broken way that he loved me too. I hurt from what he did to me. I know my son does too and I hate him for that. But I love him so much. I wish so much he was still alive.” 

His words caught in his throat and a little sob came up. He had to pause for a moment and calm himself before he could continue. He looked out on the front row and saw that Kylo had Elan in his arms and they both looked worried about him. Another sob came up his throat. 

He took a deep breath. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. He took a deep breath and pushed on. “I’m glad that you all cared about him. I miss him so much right now that I wish he were here. I want to talk to him one last time. I know that as soon as we got talking that we’d end up in a screaming argument. And still I want to talk to him. I miss my dad. This is killing me. I want my dad back.” 

He paused again, trying to keep from sobbing again. He couldn’t stop his own tears. 

“My father was a complicated man. And my feelings for him are complicated. And I feel like that’s the way it was always meant to be between us. My love doesn’t negate my anger and my anger doesn’t negate my love. The best thing my father ever taught me was to love someone even when they hurt you. I can trust my boyfriend after we’ve had a fight and said terrible things because I know what love is and I know that we hurt each other. I know how to apologize because my father never did. I know that love includes the flaws and complications and pain, but that it also is happiness and joy and comfort.” 

He was still crying, but he knew he wouldn’t sob again. He was in control, and his speech was almost over.

“My father made me a better man. For all that somedays I feel too cold and cruel to be loved, when I come home there’s a man who loves me completely, and now there’s a little boy who drags the warmth right out of me simply because he is who he is. I love them because my father did love me. Was it the way I wanted? No. Was it very good? Probably not. It was never a Hollywood love. It was rarely a happy love. But I recognize it for what it was.” 

He sighed and then pressed on. 

“My father was who he was. He helped make me who I am. Good and bad. Happy and hurtful. To come up here and say only good things when I knew the bad would be a lie. It would lessen who he was. You came up here and told the truth he gave to you, and I told the truth he gave to me. I want to thank all of you who spoke. You reminded me of a part of my father I’d forgotten. I’m grateful to have those memories back. I’m grateful that you are all here. Thank you.” 

He got down from the lectern and went and sat down back down. Elan crawled into his lap. 

“That sounded like grandfather,” Elan whispered to him. 

Kylo handed him a tissue and Hux quickly wiped his eyes. 

“Thank you,” Hux said. “I think so too.”

* * *

After the funeral came the graveside. They drove to the cemetery, and the pastor gave one last little speech. Elan sat in Hux’s lap the entire time. They both cried. When it was over Hux’s eyes itched and his nose felt a bit abused, but he also felt a little better. Somehow he’d worked something out for himself. 

They planned a small reception back at the apartment, but as they returned, Hux wondered if they would actually have enough food. 

When they arrived he found the door already open and a bunch of church women already there. It seemed Leia had taken Kylo’s keys and organized the church women. They’d all brought food. A good southern tradition. 

The apartment filled up, but people didn’t stay too long. They’d grab a little sandwich and come see Hux, tell them they were sorry for his loss and ask about Elan. A couple of the parents of Hux’s classmates introduced themselves, and welcomed him to their school. 

One of the fathers said he wished he’d had the guts to give that kind of speech at his own father’s funeral. 

Elan’s Sunday school teacher came to ask if Hux would be bringing his son back to Sunday school. 

“Elan,” Hux called. Elan dragged himself from Leia’s side to come over. “Do you want to go back to church?” 

“Yes,” Elan said without hesitation. His Sunday School teacher smiled. 

“You have friends there?” Hux asked. He’d noticed that Elan spent more time with the kids that came from the church group than he did with the kids from school. 

“Yes,” Elan said. 

Hux nodded. “Alright, we’ll be there next Sunday then,” he said. He might not like it, but he didn’t want to keep Elan from his friends. 

“Thank you, Mr. Hux,” the Sunday school teacher said. She dragged Elan into a hug and then left. 

The reception lasted for a while. People were milling around and talking. It had been like that at the viewing as well. They shared stories and memories. He knew they talked about what he’d said, though he tried not to listen in. He was certain he’d punch someone if he heard them call him an ungrateful son.

“We’re going to have enough food to last the rest of the month,” Kylo said when things started to wind down a little. 

“Yeah,” Hux said. “Balcony?” 

“Please,” Kylo said. He grabbed Hux’s hand and dragged him to their bedroom and out to the balcony. 

Hux let out a relieved sigh to be out of the press of people. “Thank you for the rescue.” 

“You looked kind of tired out. Mom can entertain. She’s been making a lot contacts at this event,” Kylo said. “She’s never quite been able to break in with the military. So she’s having a good day.” 

Hux snorted. He leaned against Kylo. “Thank you for being here.” 

“Where else would I be?” Kylo asked. “Tarkin told me he needs to talk to you, by the way. He got the Will sorted.” 

“Later,” Hux groaned. He was certain Tarkin would be pissed at being called out in Hux’s speech like that. 

“Yeah, you don’t need to do it now,” Kylo said. “And the old windbag can wait. You know Ms. Tano told me if my background check goes through that she might ask me to assist with her local art program.” 

“That’s wonderful,” Hux said. “You’d do great at it. It’s kids and your favorite art topic.” 

“And kids doing art too” Kylo said with a smile. “It almost made my day when she told me that.” 

“Almost?” Hux asked. 

“Yeah, see, I heard something from my mother. Seems that you told Elan that you were thinking about proposing to me on the 4th of July,” Kylo said. He was grinning like a wolf. 

Hux groaned. “I made him promise not to tell.” 

“No, you made him promise not to tell me,” Kylo said. “You didn’t swear my mother to secrecy.” 

“Why did she tell you?” Hux demanded. 

“It will look good for her run for the Governor’s house if we’re married,” Kylo said. 

Hux scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Of course… I wanted it to be a surprise,” he said. 

“And you wanted to make certain I wouldn’t run out the door now that you have a kid to cart around,” Kylo said. “You know I wish you’d talked to me about it instead of me having to hear it from my mother.” 

“Elan and I decided you would probably stay,” Hux said. 

“Yeah, but I still wish you would have talked to me about it,” Kylo said. 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Hux said. “Forgive me?” 

“Don’t I always?” Kylo asked. He put his arm around Hux’s waist and hugged him tight against his side. 

“Yeah, you do,” Hux said. He laid his head on Kylo’s shoulder. “I did want it to be a surprise, though.” 

“Well, it’s good this way too. We can go pick out engagement rngs together,” Kylo said. 

Hux laughed. He could just imagine what a mess that would be. They both had such differing tastes. “You want a diamond?” 

“Maybe,” Kylo said with a smirk. “We could get married on the Fourth of July instead.” 

“I don’t want to share my wedding day with a national holiday,” Hux said. “And I still want to wait.” 

“Why?” Kylo asked. 

“Two reasons and both of them of Elan. The first is that he’s going to feel bad that he couldn’t keep the secret.” 

“Ah, true,” Kylo said. “I bet he’ll want to help you plan the proposal.” 

“Considering that’s something I would have wanted to do at his age, probably,” Hux said with a smile. 

“You hopeless romantic,” Kylo teased, lightly bumping Hux’s hip. “So, what’s the second reason?” 

“His whole world has been turned upside down. I want him to have a sense of what normal should be before we shake it up with wedding plans. And I want him to feel more comfortable with your mother before we leave him with her for a week while we’re on our honeymoon.” 

“Okay, okay,” Kylo said. “You win. You really do plan everything out.” 

“Duh,” Hux said, just to make Kylo laughed. Kylo laughed and gave Hux a kiss as well. A very successful joke. 

“I love you,” Kylo said. 

“I know you do,” Hux said. He let out a breath. “Are you really okay with being a dad?” 

“Lord, that sounds scary when you say it,” Kylo muttered. He looked away. 

“Kylo?” Hux asked, trying to not let fear rush him. 

“Yeah, Hux. It’s just the word that makes me nervous. I hope I don’t turn out like my dad too much, you know?” 

Hux snorted. “Did you listen to my speech at all?” 

“Yeah, of course you know,” Kylo murmured. He cleared his throat and spoke in a more conversational tone. “Look, I already adore the kid. I mean, I know there’s going to be growing pains with our routine and it’s going to be weird. But it’s like having a little you, and I already love you.” 

“He’s his own person,” Hux said. He felt his heart jump. He didn’t want anyone forcing Elan to be someone else in order to love them. 

“I know that,” Kylo said, sounding exasperated. “But he is already like you, even without you not being around him too much. I like that. And I like that he doesn’t seem as brainwashed as I’m guessing you were at that age.” 

“I’m not certain I would have opened up as quickly. I think that’s the part of him that’s his mother,” Hux admitted. 

“I want to see who he becomes. I want to be part of that. I want to take him to see Disney movies. I want to play games with him and have to take him to Minor games like you drag me to. I want to help him with homework and help out at his school. I want to be the one who takes care of him when busy season comes around. I want us all to open presents on Christmas and watch him open gifts on his birthday. I want that and everything else. Because he’s your son and I love you. And because maybe he’ll think of me as his as well someday.” 

Hux found himself smiling at his boyfriend. “You can be very eloquent when you want to be,” he said. 

“Yeah, well, my mom’s good for something,” Kylo said, scratching the back of his head. 

“I love you,” Hux said. 

“I know,” Kylo said. “I liked you claiming me like that in your speech. It made me feel like I was important to you.” 

“You are,” Hux said. “If you left I would live because you can’t make me stop living, and because Elan needs me, but you’d take a big part of me with you. I need you. I do.” 

“I need you too,” Kylo said. “Hopefully between us we can be good parents to the kid.” 

“I hope so,” Hux said. He leaned in and gave Kylo a little kiss. 

Hux took that moment to be happy. There was still so much unknown and so much to do. But for that one moment he was secure both in his relationship with his boyfriend and in knowing that he was beginning to build a new family, a better and less broken one than either he or Kylo had before. There were pieces and people missing and they’d always feel those loses. But they would also have something better than they’d ever had before. 

Tarkin and school and work and background checks could all wait for later. For a moment Hux let himself be happy without having to feel all the other complicated other emotions that normally went with it. He was a complicated man, and he couldn’t let those other feelings go for too long. But Kylo loved him, knowing that anyway. And Kylo was why he could just be happy for a moment. 

Oddly enough, for the day Hux buried his father, it was actually a pretty good day. 

“Okay,” Hux said, pulling away. “Let’s face Tarkin and then throw him out of the house. What do you say?” 

Kylo laughed. Hux loved that laugh. Kylo took his hand and laced their fingers. “Yes. That sounds perfect. I think we can throw out everyone who isn’t family while we’re at it.” 

“We should send some of that food home with your sister. She’s a poor college student, she should enjoy it, right?” 

“Probably,” Kylo said. “And it’ll keep it from going bad.” 

“Especially that spicy macaroni salad the Leonis’s brought,” Hux said. He would have sworn he scalded his tongue on that if he hadn’t known it was impossible to scald your tongue on something that was actually cold. 

“No way,” Kylo said. “Both Elan and I like it. You’re just stuck.” 

“Damn,” Hux muttered. 

Kylo was laughing as he steering Hux back out to the living room. There were less people there, but still too many. Hux took a deep breath and went off to face Tarkin. He’d deal with the Will and then throw everyone else out and then have a much quieter evening with Kylo’s family and Elan. That thought would be enough to get him through this bit of unpleasantness. 

Elan grinned when he saw him and waved. 

Hux smiled and took a detour to see Elan. Screw it, the judge could wait. Elan was much better company, after all. 

The End.


End file.
